As Francine gets introduced to the various neighbors in the little community, her mental wheels start spinning, especially since she was always such a fan of Nancy Drew as a child and considered herself an amateur detective. Laura Jean, her sister's best friend, is the first to reach out and the pair become immediate friends, while Magdalena, the Russian wife of the local lawman, decides she and Francine are sworn enemies, although Francine has no idea what earned her the drink-in-her-face Magdalena gave her at Ellie and Pete's going away party. There's Lori Asperski, the self-elected neighborhood queen who has a gaggle of friends who follow her about; and Roland Gerber, the well-mannered elderly transplant from Switzerland with a lovely dog named Ajax. There's also Del Merlin, a 60-something Marine who likes flirting with the ladies and working on his muscle car, and the newer neighbors, the Banderwalt family, with a mom in a wheelchair, an AWOL dad, a quiet young daughter named Diane, and a sullen and angry teenage son named Eric, who constantly falls under Lori's suspicion for anything that goes wrong in the neighborhood. Another new addition is Michael Bruno, the moppish, but handsome writer who has the ugliest collection of ties Francine has ever seen. He's mysterious and intriguing and he just might be the cure for her relationship doldrums.
When Lori's pet goat, Blondie, is found with her throat slit right after a big neighborhood gathering, Francine starts her own investigation into who could have done this. Little does she know that under her nose late at night, Charlie is sneaking out to conduct his own investigation, all to help Aunt Francine. What's more, as she endeavors to get to know the elusive Bruno more, she finds he is also an amateur detective and he is hunting a Nazi in sleepy Hawthorn Woods. It's too bad that his suspect is dear old Mr. Gerber, a neighbor that has rapidly become Francine's treasured friend and somewhat of a relationship therapist for her. She has no choice but to help him, if only to help clear poor Mr. Gerber's name. The mysteries Francine uncovers while in this seemingly idyllic suburbia heaven are shocking indeed, but less so than the things she discovers about herself.
Hawthorn Woods is a fantastic read and I tore through it in a matter of sittings. It's fun, with a touch of 80's nostalgia, and is just a perfect little mystery that takes place in a simpler time before cell phones and social media. If you like mysteries, do yourself a favor and check out Hawthorn Woods. Highly, highly recommended.
