Death's Half Acre (Deborah Knott Mysteries, No 14) - Softcover

Maron, Margaret

Softcover

ISBN 10: 044661808X ISBN 13: 9780446618083

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing, 2009

Synopsis

Unchecked urbanization has begun to eclipse the North Carolina countryside. As farms give way to shoddy mansions, farmers struggle to slow the rampant growth. In the shadows, corrupt county commissioners use their political leverage to make profitable deals with new developers. A murder will pull Judge Deborah Knott and Sheriff's Deputy Dwight Bryant into the middle of this bitter dispute and force them to confront some dark realities.

About this title

About the Author:

MARGARET MARON grew up in the country near Raleigh, North Carolina, but for many years lived in Brooklyn, New York. When she and her artist husband returned to the farm that had been in her family for a hundred years, she began a series based on her own background. The first book, Bootlegger's Daughter, became a Washington Post bestseller that swept the major mystery awards for its year-winning the Edgar, Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards for Best Novel-and is among the 100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century as selected by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. Later Deborah Knott novels Up Jumps the Devil, Storm Track, and Three-Day Town each also won the Agatha Award for Best Novel. Margaret is also the author of the Sigrid Harald series of detective novels. In 2008, Maron received the North Carolina Award for Literature, the highest civilian honor the state bestows on its authors. And in 2013, the Mystery Writers of America celebrated Maron's contributions to the mystery genre by naming her a Grand Master-an honor first bestowed on Agatha Christie. To find out more about her, you can visit MargaretMaron.com.

From Booklist:

In the fourteenth installment of her Judge Deborah Knott series, Maron highlights the tensions of new real-estate development as longtime rural residents cope with the changes brought by farms giving way to sprawling houses and big-box chain stores. When county commissioner Candace Bradshaw is murdered, some see it as her comeuppance for brokering under-the-table deals between developers and certain county commissioners. Others, however, such as Candace’s much older ex-husband, know that Candace grew up dirt poor and had an almost physical need for luxurious possessions. Deborah’s new husband, Sheriff Dwight Bryant, investigates the murder, and surprising revelations emerge about just how Deborah was appointed judge. In addition, Maron introduces a satisfying subplot about Deborah’s father, Kezzie, a former major-league bootlegger who has never lost his taste for the big con. All of the machinations are delivered in a chatty style rife with colorful country expressions. As always, the mystery, neatly resolved, intersects with the home- and community-centered concerns of the large Knott family. Satisfying reading for both series fans and those new to the author. --Joanne Wilkinson

About this edition

• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 044661808X
• ISBN 13: 9780446618083
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 320