Title: Deliver Us from Evil … and the Six O’Clock News
Author: W. H. Adair
Where to buy: Amazon (affiliate link)
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Would I recommend: Absolutely! This is a fun cozy read that’s introduced me to a new author I love!
Synopsis:
Hildegard “Hildy” Brentwood, a 50-year-old University PR executive at Gulf State University, is faced with her toughest assignment–discover who killed her faculty friend Adrienne and student assistant, Bobby, before the university and the police shut down the investigation labeling Adrienne guilty of murder/suicide.
She enlists the help of her CEO mother Victoria and her investigative journalist daughter Grace to comb through the possible suspects–Adrienne’s misogynistic department chairman, her violent ex-husband, a smarmy journalist, or perhaps someone from her past involved in her 20-year-old rape. They uncover myriad secrets in both Adrienne’s and Bobby’s past, any of which could have been motive for murder.
Taking on the university leadership and the campus and Houston Police departments, Hildy is attacked and threatened before they uncover the truth behind the violent deaths.
Hildy and her family look into the highest and lowest realms of Houston to find answers, with a little help from their Victoria’s greyhound, Minuit; Hildy’s white schnauzer, Shasta; and Adrienne’s Russian blue feline, Catrina, who is adopted by Grace.
An older protagonist? Check. A multi-generational story? Check. Animal companions? Check. A twisty mystery that keeps me guessing? Check. Deliver Us from Evil. . .and the Six O’Clock News has all the things I love in a good cozy!
Hildy Brentwood is a PR exec for Gulf State University. She’s anticipating a chat with her friend, Professor Adrienne Harrington, on a successful archeological expedition to Costa Rica. Instead, she’s hit with the shocking news that Adrienne and one of her star students, Bobby Jake, son of a state senator, have been found dead in Adrienne’s office. And everyone thinks Adrienne did it. Everyone except Hildy, that is. After she’s attacked, she’s told in no uncertain terms to back off, but she can’t let people remember her friend as a killer.
Even though Hildy has to be discreet with her investigation, she isn’t without resources. Her mother, Victoria, is well-connected among the Houston elite, and her daughter, Grace, is a whiz with a computer search. And when reporter Jack Tremayne also ends up dead, Hildy knows the deaths are connected. The three women work together to narrow down the pool of suspects before the real killer comes after Hildy again.
I love that Hildy is close to my age! So often in cozies, the protagonist is a sweet twenty- or thirtysomething, and while I enjoy those, too, it’s always fun to see yourself reflected in a main character. Hildy is older. She’s lived a little. She’s got a bit of hard-earned wisdom to go with her book smarts. And she’s got a successful career, too. Plus, when Adrienne’s (supposedly) temporary replacement, Jason Breaux, comes on the scene, Hildy isn’t too old for a romantic spark or two to fly! (Bonus “I love this book” points for Breaux being from Louisiana, like me.)
Adair gives us no shortage of suspects to consider, with a couple of them being really, almost painfully, obvious. (Small spoiler: unsurprisingly, neither of the obvious ones was the killer.) When the big reveal drew near, that was the first time I had any inkling of who our villain would turn out to be. I do love it when a mystery surprises me with whodunnit!
Deliver Us from Evil. . . and the Six O’Clock News is the first in a series, and I certainly hope it won’t be the last! W. H. Adair, you’ve got me hooked.
This review originally appeared on Reedsy Discovery. I received a review copy of the book from Reedsy. I was not obligated to leave a review. All opinions here are mine, and I don’t say nice things about books I don’t actually like.
