Title: The Affliction by Beth Gutcheon
Maggie Detweiler and Hope Babbin Series Book Two
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery
Length: 368 pages
Book Rating: C+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss
Summary:
The New York Times bestselling author of More Than You Know, Leeway Cottage, and Death at Breakfast delivers the second installment in her clever romp of a mystery series combining social comedy and dark-hearted murder—a novel set at a girls’ boarding school in a picturesque Hudson River town with more than its share of secrets.
Since retiring as head of a famous New York City private school, Maggie Detweiler is busier than ever. Chairing a team to evaluate the faltering Rye Manor School for girls, she will determine whether, in spite of its fabled past, the school has a future at all. With so much on the line for so many, tensions on campus are at an excruciating pitch, and Maggie expects to be as welcome as a case of Ebola virus.
At a reception for the faculty and trustees to “welcome” Maggie’s team, no one seems more keen for all to go well than Florence Meagher, a star teacher who is loved and respected in spite of her affliction—that she can never stop talking.
Florence is one of those dedicated teachers for whom the school is her life, and yet the next morning, when Maggie arrives to observe her teaching, Florence is missing. Florence’s husband, Ray, an auxiliary policeman in the village, seems more annoyed than alarmed at her disappearance. But Florence’s sister is distraught. There have been tensions in the marriage, and at their last visit, Florence had warned, “If anything happens to me, don’t assume it’s an accident.”
Two days later, Florence’s body is found in the campus swimming pool.
Maggie is asked to stay on to coach the very young and inexperienced head of Rye Manor through the crisis. Maggie obviously knows schools, but she also knows something about investigating murder, having solved a mysterious death in Maine the previous year when the police went after the wrong suspect. She is soon joined by her madcap socialite friend Hope, who is jonesing for an excuse to ditch her book club anyway, before she has to actually read Silas Marner.
What on earth is going on in this idyllic town? Is this a run-of-the-mill marital murder? Or does it have something to do with the school board treasurer’s real estate schemes? And what is up with the vicious cyber-bullying that’s unsettled everyone, or with the disturbed teenaged boy whom Florence had made a pet of? And is it possible that someone killed Florence just so she’d finally shut up?
Review:
The Affliction by Beth Gutcheon is a puzzling murder mystery which takes place at a girls’ private school in a Hudson River town.
Retired girls’ school head Maggie Detweiler is part of a three person team evaluating whether or not Rye Manor School should remain open. Having already delivered the report to the head of school, Christina Liggett, Maggie is planning to leave when favorite teacher Florence Meagher goes missing. Deciding to stay a few extra days, Maggie is on campus when Florence’s lifeless body is discovered in the swimming pool by student and promising diver Lily Hollister whose father Hugo is also a board member. When Maggie fills in her friend, Hope Babbin, on the situation, she drops everything to help Maggie look for clues.
Maggie and Hope are great friends and they each have different skill sets to bring the investigation. Maggie knows the ins and outs of the private schools so she is the logical choice to poke around the private school campus. Hope has a wealthy background so she has easy access to insider information about certain individuals they encounter during the course of their investigation. Maggie is quite insightful whereas Hope is a little scattered due to some unexpected family news.
The secondary cast of characters is HUGE and it is not at all easy to keep up with who is who and which of the guest appearances will prove to be meaningful. There are also numerous story arcs that might or might not figure into the murder investigation. This confusing jumble of cast members and storylines are also difficult to keep straight since the main plot just kind of meanders along. Although most of the characters and story arcs are interesting, copious notes are needed to keep everyone and everything straight.
While The Affliction is an entertaining cozy mystery, the overwhelming number of characters ad multiple story arcs are confusing. Hope and Maggie are a fantastic amateur sleuth duo and they are quite likable. Despite the affable lead characters, readers will most likely be a little disappointed by the lack of resolution for many of the storylines, including a clear-cut solving of Florence’s murder. This second installment in Beth Gutcheon’s Maggie Detweiler and Hope Babbin series can easily be read as a standalone.
