The Barnes & Noble Review
In The Tooth of Time, Sue Henry's second Maxie and Stretch mystery (and sequel to The Serpents Trail), the 60-something Winnebago-driving adventurer and her canine sidekick are back for another scenic escapade, this time in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of northern New Mexico, where the ever-inquisitive "motor-homing senior gypsy" stumbles across two bizarre murders involving a close-knit community of artists.
Traveling through southern Colorado, Maxie McNabb decides to stop in Taos, New Mexico, to visit a renowned weaving store and meet its owner. Once there, she falls in love with the area's unique blend of Indian, Spanish, and Anglo-American cultures. The small group of artists who frequent Weaving Southwest are as friendly as they are brilliant; and Maxie, an avid knitter herself, decides to stay awhile and pick up a few pointers. But when she meets an emotionally disturbed woman who just got scammed out of $100,000 by a smooth-talking con man, Maxie unknowingly becomes involved in a dangerously complicated drama that could get her -- and her wiener dog -- killed.
Equal parts Charles Kuralt's On the Road and Angela Lansbury's Murder, She Wrote, Henry's The Tooth of Time is an interesting change of pace for discerning fans of amateur sleuth mysteries. One thing is for sure: Readers will love Maxie -- an adventurous, AARP card-carrying protagonist as dignified as she is courageous and resourceful -- and her pint-sized dachshund, Stretch. Paul Goat Allen
In Henry's agreeable second outing for Maxie McNabb (after 2004's The Serpent's Trail), the 63-year-old Alaskan with the insatiable curiosity continues to explore the lower 48 in her "Minnie Winnie," accompanied only by her feisty mini-dachshund, Stretch. Her travels take her to Taos, N.Mex., where she meets an old friend from Alaska, makes new friends among the weavers of Taos and gets acquainted with a woman who may or may not have attempted suicide, Shirley Morgan. When Shirley disappears, Maxie finds herself in danger and flees Taos. The resilient and resourceful Maxie soon returns to Taos to face the danger and deal with a deadly and unsuspected killer. Maxie's cherished independence and her willingness to seek out new experiences alone and single should resonate with fans of cozy and atmospheric mysteries, though so far this series lacks the lovingly detailed descriptions of the environment that characterize Henry's Jessie Arnold books (Murder at Five Finger Light, etc.). (Apr.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Henry's second outing featuring 63-year-old Maxie McNabb (following The Serpent's Trail) will disappoint all but the most stalwart fans. Maxie, a likable character, hails from Alaska but travels the Lower 48 in her "Minnie Winnie" with her dog Stretch. Incredulously, after just meeting Shirley Morgan, a recent divorc e, at Weavers Southwest, a yarn shop in Taos, NM, savvy senior Maxie invites Shirley to stay with her. She's drawn into a mystery surrounding Shirley's suicide attempt and her eventual disappearance and murder. Suspects searching for something Shirley left behind trash the Minnie Winnie and kidnap Stretch. Another death by drowning in a vat of dye adds to the mystery. Lee Adams's performance personifies McNabb but can't save this tedious tale. Not recommended.-Sandy Glover, Camas P.L., WA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
When Maxie McNabb (The Serpents Trail, 2004) turns the steering wheel of her Winnebago toward a weaving store in artsy Taos, N.M., she buys some yarn and a loom and steps into a tangled web. Making friends with the store's owner, Pat Dozier, Maxie and her dachshund Stretch are drawn into a difficult friendship with Shirley Morgan, a middle-aged recent divorcee. Shirley seemed to be doing pretty well, taking weaving classes, and even, rumor has it, dating a new man. Then her landlord, eccentric and elderly Ann Barnes, finds her nearly dead, suffocated by carbon monoxide fumes in her car. Shirley recovers and insists that she did not try to commit suicide and, when Stretch hops in Shirley's lap, Maxie decides to take her home from the hospital to her Winnebago. The next time Maxie sees Shirley, however, she is dead in her bathtub, with her wrists cut. Well, Maxie has her doubts about the apparent suicide, particularly when her Winnebago is trashed by someone looking for something that Shirley might have left-something so valuable that Stretch is kidnapped and held for random. Maxie saves Stretch, but, in a move bone-headed even for the lightest of cozies, nearly gets herself killed. A plot with holes too big even for crochet, and prose that seems better suited for a travel guide; Henry misses the potential for entertainment in Maxie's bright character.
Maxie McNabb, senior citizen, is traveling through the Southwest in her Winnebago with her faithful canine companion, Stretch, destined for Taos to do some touring and learn how to weave. The visit quickly turns dangerous when she gets involved in a woman’s attempted suicide, her trailer is broken into, and two homicides occur in short order. Lee Adams has an enticing voice that makes the descriptive passages easy to listen to and allows the listener to picture the landscape. Her easy tempo is perfectly suited to the setting and narrative. Combined with the story line, it keeps the listener engaged until the surprise ending. S.S.R. © AudioFile 2006, Portland, Maine
