*Death in a Mood Indigo, by Francine Mathews

Francine Mathews also writes as Stephanie Barron, the author of the Jane Austen mystery series. I've never read one of those books, but they seem to be well liked. Well, I wish I could have liked Death in a Mood Indigo as much as others liked it, but I didn't. I have a stash of these really easy mystery novels on my tbr shelves, and maybe it's time to let them go. I've discovered I like my mysteries a wee bit more challenging.

Normally I don't start reading a series with book #3, but in an effort to get through my mountain of TBR books, this is what I had.

The novel begins on a Nantucket beach when Nan and Cecil Markham, ages 8 and 11 respectively, are off playing. Along comes their dog, Sachmo, with something in his mouth, which turns out to be a bone. The kids find this very cool until they dig up a skull, and realize that the bones the dog has are human. The local police are alerted, and the case is assigned to detective Meredith Folger. Checking against missing persons records, she finds out that the bones belong to a Dr. Elizabeth Osborne, who disappeared without a trace some eight years back. While she's investigating how Dr. Osborne's bones ended up on the beach, a local woman is killed and changes the complexion of the entire case.

The mystery was intriguing and the characters were okay. However, one little clue given by the author tipped me to the murderer and I have to say I was quite disappointed to be found right. When I read a mystery, I want to be pleasantly surprised as to the "who" in the "whodunit" and this was way too easy. I don't know if I'd go out of my way to find another book in this series, but if one drops into my lap I'll probably read it.

This book is really geared for people who want more of a mainstream-type mystery, one that goes quickly and one in which you don't have to think very much. I'd give it a spot in both cozies and police procedurals, so if you like either one then this one should please you.

Overall, I found the central mystery intriguing, but I don't know if I'll be revisiting this series any time soon.