Formaldehyde, Rooster

Penny Weaver returns home after a relaxing summer in Wales, newly married to her beloved Kenneth Morgan. She learns: her daughter Sarah has left her husband and moved into Penny's room; Ralph Andrews, an unsavory politician, has taken over their community group, ActNow; and the local particle board plant's formaldehyde pollution is making people sick. After a forum on air quality Penny learns Andrews was killed by a massive dose of digitalis administered in his coffee, and her dear friend Cathy Clegg is suspected. Comment by Pete MacDowell: Formaldehyde, Rooster is a lovely mystery seasoned with a warm local community, love, family crisis, activism, and murder. Not only has the ActNow group been taken over by a car salesman, but Riverdell is dealing with serious air pollution. Penny Weaver shows us again the strength and soft power of detection based on acute observation and keen understanding of the politics and culture of her community. She reminds us that nicely drawn characters do not have to be dark and twisted creature. Every new chapter has been a high point of my day.