The Courtship of Harry's Wife (D. B. Burns Mysteries, #1)

by Jeanette-Marie Mirich

[phyllish]

A delightful start to the series

Often, reading the introduction to a book can be enlightening. So I've made a habit to at least give the intro a fair chance. I also like to skim through the Acknowledgements as well.

As I read first the Dedication and then started into the Acknowledgements (which came at the beginning of this book), I knew I was in for a treat. The style of writing grabbed my attention and the words grabbed my heart. Once the story began, I was completely hooked. Only my commitment to my job kept me from reading all day until I was finished, and that only just barely!

Delilah's deep love for Harry and her grief were poignant and yet the story does not have a somber tone. It is snarky and clever and transported me to a small college town in Kentucky.

The characters were quirky and lovable, except those who were appropriately odious. While the townsfolk were those typically found in any small town, they were no less interesting and enjoyable. Harry had alienated many of the women in town through his depictions of them in his poetry and Delilah was a pariah to them due to a jealous ex-girlfriend of Harry's.

I was perfectly content reading of the judge's (attempted) wooing of Delilah and his gallantry. Then, the author tossed in a fascinating mystery when the car of Judge's long-missing ex-wife was found with two bodies in it from over a decade earlier. With evidence they had been shot before the car ended up in the lake. With the Judge a prime suspect!

Here are some favorite things about the story:

The judge's penchant for carrying handkerchiefs so Delilah could use them to dry her tears

The sweet way Delilah was constantly remembering the feel of Harry's hand in hers or the way he would do things

Harry's letters to Delilah and his friends

The chicken references

The secret room

The scavenger hunt

Molly and Cam

How Delilah always referred to Lyle as "judge" and not by his name

Though almost every vice known to man appears in some form in this story, and bullets fly, the level of violence is minimal and the suspense is not overly heavy or alarming.

Read my full review at Among the Reads


I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.