Book Review: The Koala of Death by Betty Webb
The Koala of Death
Betty Webb
Poisoned Pen Press, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-59058-756-0
Hardcover
Also available in trade paperback
This novel is the second in a new series, following the author’s well-received Lena Jones detective stories. The protagonist in the current Gunn Zoo Mysteries is Theodora “Teddy” Bentley, who prefers working at the zoo to the ease of living the life of Riley with her well-to-do mother who is forever attempting to get her daughter married off to some rich man. Instead, Teddy is in love with the widowed Sheriff Joe, and regularly gets into trouble.
In the present tale, Teddy fishes the body of Koala Kate, her fellow zookeeper, out of the harbor in which her houseboat is docked. It turns out she was strangled. Soon, another nearby “liveaboarder” is found murdered with a similar MO. It remains for Teddy to solve the mysteries.
A zoo is a strange setting for a crime novel series, but it enables the author to develop material about the animals and the people who care for them as excellent background. The novel is more of a cozy than a hard crime mystery, but that, of course, is what it is intended to be. Many of the characters seemed to me to be stilted, especially the Sheriff, who seems merely to utter the usual hackneyed phrases and take the expected stance that Teddy should not become involved in the case. Of course, Teddy has now, with this book, solved his cases in two novels, so the roles are pretty well set. In any case, the novel is light and enjoyable reading, and is recommended.
Reviewed by Ted Feit, October 2010.
February 5, 2011
Tags: animals, cozy, mystery, Poisoned Pen Press, zoo Posted in: Full Reviews
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