Stay tuned below for a review & excerpt of Two Murders Too Many!

Author: Bluette Matthey
Publisher: Blue Shutter Publishing
Released: October 21^st, 2020
Received: Blog Tour

I received a copy of Two Murders Too Many in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Bluette Matthey’s latest novel, Two Murders Too Many is a thrilling mystery series, full of action and clever points and twists.

When Charlie Simmons became a police officer for a tiny town, he probably didn’t expect to deal with a whole lot of crime. Yet suddenly he’s dealing with barn burnings and worse. So much worse, as two bodies arrive on the scene.

To his credit, Simmons is willing to deal with all of the horror and trauma that comes with this sort of investigation. Especially if it means he can hunt down the killer in this otherwise quiet and happy community.

Two Murders Too Many is a dark yet fascinating novel, one explores a unique setting and time period. It was the title that pulled my attention to this book, yet the writing is what kept me captivated right through to the end.

Set in 1950s Ohio, Two Murders Too Many has a very different feel from many of the other mysteries I’ve been reading lately. Naturally, I adore that change of pace, and consider that almost reason enough for others to check it out as well.

There are several reasons why I enjoyed this setting. For one thing, it added a lot of charm, and was a pretty bold decision on Matthey’s part, all things considered. The main reason, however, is the lack of forensic understanding and technology. Think about it – the crimes committed in this book were horrific, and yet this small town certainly didn’t have much to help them solve it. They certainly didn’t have access to any of the technology we take for granted these days.

All of which added a few extra twists and complications. It made for a more interesting read, as the new Police Chief was basically forced into learning by doing for this entire crime spree. Not an ideal situation to say the least.

Matthey’s writing was compelling and bold, creating this descriptive world with such detail that it made it all feel so alive. The good and the bad, as the case may be. As such, this is one of those slow-burning mysteries. Where the stetting is just as (if not more) important than the murder/mystery introduced.

This was the first novel I’ve read by Matthey, and from the looks of it, she tends to spread her writing all over the globe. I’m looking forward to reading more of her other mysteries, especially those set in places I’ve only ever dreamed of visiting.

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Excerpt:

Blanche Gruman sprawled on the park bench in front of the Presbyterian Church Monday enjoying the afternoon sun, her long, tanned legs stretched out on the sidewalk in front of the bench. She looked serene, with her face turned sunward, eyes protected by aviator sunglasses. Her blonde hair was almost white, bleached by the sun, and she wore it long and loose.

“Afternoon, Blanche,” Charlie said as he made his way toward town hall.

Blanche turned her head to see who had spoken. “Well, hey, Charlie!” she replied. She quickly sat up, pulling her bare legs primly under the edge of the bench. It was a lady-like move; just what you would expect from Blanche. A broad smile, showing perfect pearl-white teeth lit up her face.

Blanche Gruman owned and operated a successful hair salon in town. For Shannon, it was an exclusive salon. Blanche was an excellent cutter and stylist, and her flamboyant but tasteful sense of style attracted the cream of Shannon’s women to her salon, as well as some of the more prominent men. She had expanded her business over the course of a decade, hiring additional staff, but she was the queen bee, and closely guarded her select clientele.

Blanche had never married, though she’d had a fairly constant parade of suitors. Rumor had it that when someone had once asked her why she had never married she had flippantly replied, “Why marry one man when I can make so many happy?” Whether or not this was true, it was generally agreed that Blanche had a less traditional approach to relationships with men than her female contemporaries, and it was speculated that many of her female devotees who religiously came to Blanche for hair treatment did so as a means of keeping an eye on her latest paramour, primarily to make sure it wasn’t a wayfaring husband.

“You look mighty pleased with yourself,” Charlie said. He stood in front of her, blocking the sun from her eyes. She removed her sunglasses, hooking one of the templates on the V-neck of a snug knit top that accented her generous curves.

“It’s a great day to celebrate life,” she told him, “and that’s just what I’m doing.” Clearly, she was enjoying herself.

Charlie changed the subject. “You hear about what happened to Otto Hilty the other night?”

His question soured Blanche’s mood noticeably. Her voice took on a hard edge when she responded. “That SOB …” she began. “I don’t truck with what happened to Otto,” she said, “but I’ll not shed any tears for him.” She put her sunglasses on and stood, facing Charlie. “Like I said … it’s a great day to celebrate.” She walked off leaving Charlie standing, literally, with his mouth agape.