Two Dead on Crystal Creek — M. Sue Alexander

Dorothy Powell finds herself in a pickle when she becomes the prime suspect in the death of her husband Arthur. Together for fifty-six years in the same house, she is alone now and must reinvent her future. Dorothy's neighbor and good friend, Lorene Perkins, is also suffering through the death of her husband Crawford. Why the two elderly men were found dead on Crystal Creek on the same day is a mystery that begs solving and the widows are up to the challenge. Daughter Claire loves her mother and is ever-present when Dorothy needs her. Detective "Butch" Peters is in charge of solving thecomplicated crime which ultimately involves two other related deaths. Butch and his secretary, Ellie, are determined to find out if there is a Mafia connection to the deaths of the two old poker buddies. Clyde Willems, Arthur's fieldhand, is in the mix and the mystery grows even more intense. What has "red mud" got to do with the deaths of three individuals? Dorothy and Lorene learn the hard way that words matter. They have said some things about their husbands that might be misinterpreted, therefore it is their job to help the police find out the truth. A bit of romance occurs between Butch and Ellie while Dorothy and Lorene deal with their grief and reinvent futures without their spouses. When it comes time to put Arthur to rest, Dorothy grapples over how to do that. This multi-faceted, family-friendly saga touches on the emotions of the heart and defines how one person copes with loneliness and spousal loss. There is a time for all things in life, sometimes short, sometimes long, usually unpredictable, and always fatal, as sure as death and taxes. The reader will not be disappointed.