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February Fever: A Murder-by-Month Mystery

Review

February Fever: A Murder-by-Month Mystery

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, town librarian and aspiring private investigator Mira James is happy to have a man to call her own. Unfortunately, her boyfriend Johnny Leeson has just been offered an environmental science internship in Portland, Oregon, far away from the small town of Battle Lake, Minnesota, where the pair live. While happy for Johnny's educational success and future career prospects, she's nervous about maintaining the fledgling relationship that began in December across the miles.

Eager to help Mira in her hour of need, her co-worker and friend Mrs. Berns, a lively octogenarian, books tickets on a cross-country train trip that will take the pair to Portland, where she can spend time with Johnny in his new environment and attend an international conference for private investigators. What Mira doesn't know, though, is that the journey is part of a special Valentine-themed trip designed to cater primarily to singles in search of love. 

"This is a fun read populated by a cast of quirky, small-town characters who follow their hearts instead of their heads. The book also contains numerous laugh-out-loud moments of earthy humor that will coax a chuckle from even the most somber readers."

Also along for the ride is Mira's friend, Jed Heitke, a shaggy but loveable Battle Lake native in his early 20s who makes money by performing odd jobs and helping his parents run a local resort during the tourist season. The laid-back pot smoker has a secret that he wants to discuss with Mira during the course of the trip.

While the train ride begins with promise, it quickly takes a sinister turn when a woman in the same sleeper car as Mira and Mrs. Berns is murdered and her husband and small daughter go missing. Is there a madman loose on the train, or is the crime simply a case of domestic violence turned deadly?

Eager to determine who's responsible for the dastardly deed, Mira and Mrs. Berns immediately begin their own investigation, recruiting Jed as their always-willing and sometimes-able assistant. They're soon joined by some of the other investigators who are aboard the train headed for the conference.

As if the drama of the murder isn't enough, a roaring blizzard literally stops the train and its passengers in their tracks in the middle of Montana. With the stir-crazy passengers ready to revolt, it's even more crucial that the gang get to the bottom of the murder and prevent any additional deaths.

FEBRUARY FEVER is the 10th installment in Jess Lourey’s Murder-by-Month series. Mira continues to hope that this will be the month when she finally avoids discovering a murder victim. Unfortunately for her but fortunately for readers, February continues Mira's run of bad luck. This is a fun read populated by a cast of quirky, small-town characters who follow their hearts instead of their heads. The book also contains numerous laugh-out-loud moments of earthy humor that will coax a chuckle from even the most somber readers. On a more serious note, readers are privy to events from Mira's past that reveal to them how she has become the person she is today and possibly where she’s headed in the future.

Reviewed by Amie Taylor on February 10, 2015

February Fever: A Murder-by-Month Mystery
by Jess Lourey

  • Publication Date: February 8, 2015
  • Genres: Fiction, Mystery
  • Paperback: 264 pages
  • Publisher: MIDNIGHT INK
  • ISBN-10: 0738742147
  • ISBN-13: 9780738742144