What could be more Massachusetts then walking trails, charitable foundations, tiffs between conservationists and businesses and particularly fall festivals on the common? The lengths to which human beings will go to assuage guilt and protect loved ones are common motivators for plots. In Twilight, Nancy Pickard combines these to make for a fast-reading mystery with believable and interesting characters.The center of the controversy was God’s Highway, which immediately made me think of the Appalachian Trail. Three people had been killed in unexplained accidents where the trail intersected a main road. Families of victims wanted it closed or made safer and conservationists were willing to go to extreme and possibly illegal lengths to keep it open. A stop sign should have prevented these incidents but somehow it did not.
Heroine Jenny Cain plans a fall festival to get her newly organized foundation recognized and bring much needed revenue to her town. A small city commission stands in the way. All these issues are familiar to New Englanders. Pickard puts them all together to tell a story that is hard to put down. There are no murders here although it was tempting to think so while reading. What Pickard serves up is another modern day issue concerning health which should remain unnamed at this point. Pay attention to the behaviors of the main characters – there is a hint there.
Twilight marks the end of the Jenny Cain series nevertheless it has inspired me to read the series from the beginning and truthfully it did not feel like the conclusion.
Many mystery awards have been given to Nancy Pickard for her short stories and novels including an Anthony Award, a Macavity Award and nominated for an Edgar Award. She is a former reporter and editor and past president of Sisters in Crime.What could be more Massachusetts then walking trails, charitable foundations, tiffs between conservationists and businesses and particularly fall festivals on the common? The lengths to which human beings will go to assuage guilt and protect loved ones are common motivators for plots. In Twilight, Nancy Pickard combines these to make for a fast-reading mystery with believable and interesting characters.
