I thoroughly enjoyed reading THE BLOODY SHOE AFFAIR by Joy York. It starts out slow for a third of the story and then engages on all cylinders going forward. Christi, her two brothers, and her parents travel 3 hrs. into the Mississippi countryside to visit her grandparents and to celebrate their 50th Anniversary. Christi loves the farm and enjoys spending time with Lily, her outgoing 14-year-old cousin, whose father is the jailer of the county jail. Lily takes risks and always seems to get timid and reserved Christi in trouble with her shenanigans.

Once again, Christi will spend the week at Lily's house, which is attached to the county jail in town. On the night before Christi arrives, the jail parking lot was filled to capacity; all three groups of policemen were there: city, county, and state. When a bloody pair of shoes fall from a bag, Lily is immediately intrigued and obsessed to find out what is going on. There's talk of a gruesome murder and the murderer is locked in one of the cells. Of course, she ropes in her 14-year old cousin and the investigation/adventure begins.

The story takes place in 1968 and is narrated by Christi. The author includes examples of southern living, small-town goings-on, and mention of songs and groups of the time.

Joy does a wonderful job in keeping readers guessing and engaged in the storyline. She also shows how Christi grows emotionally and encounters her first romantic blush with the cutest boy in town, Troy. Both girls move the story along through dialog, which is sometimes witty and sarcastic. I found myself laughing out loud several times.

The ending is a surprise and neatly wrapped up by the author. I can compare Lily to a much younger, Stephanie Plum - the same type of personality and devious thinking. All in all, I'd recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a fun and suspenseful read. ( )

14 year-old Christi has come out with her family to visit relatives in rural Mississippi in the summer of 1968, but is soon swept up in a secretive investigative adventure with her fellow 14 year-old cousin, Lily, whose home is connected by a hall and tunnels to the county jail, overseen by her father. Sly and overeager Lily is anxious to find out about the story behind the blood stained shoes she saw a detective accidentally drop while a group of cops were secretly delivering an unknown individual to a secret basement cell in the jail. Having shy and insecure Christi as her partner in the adventure adds to the thrill, as Lily gladly breaks rules to uncover and solve the mystery. Mystery fanatics will probably feel ready to walk away from the story, told in the first person by Christi, since the actual details of the main crime and underlying mystery details do not come to light until about one third of the way into the tale. However, readers who can empathize and become engrossed in the teenage angst character tale underneath the adventure will find the patience to work up to the actual mystery leading to a tense climatic end. ( )