Overall, I think John J. Riggs' Garth Ryland series is far
better with
similar material. Ryland has moved back to his small hometown
to take
over the local weekly paper. He lives in his late
grandmother's house
with his widowed housekeeper and drives his grandmother's
finicky old
car. This description makes the series seem quaint and cozy.
It isn't.
There is a bit of humor, but this series is far more about
the darkness
hiding in the hearts of these small town people, with all of
the bitter
rivalries, jealousies secrets you might find in a big city.
They may
even be worse than a big city because they have been allowed
to fester
for so long while living in close proximity with the
offender, who
becomes a daily reminder. The first in the series, The Last
Laugh, is
particularly macabre, revolving around whether or not a
practical joker
was buried alive. Highly recommended.
Mark
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