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ACADEMIC/COZY/PUZZLES/
AMATEUR SLEUTH/SUSPENSE/
SENIOR SLEUTH MYSTERY
thirteen diamonds
Lillian Morgan is bored with life in a retirement community, but she gets more excitement than she hoped for when a fellow resident drops dead at the bridge table--while holding a perfect hand of thirteen diamonds. Intrigued by the astronomical odds against this happening, she uses her mathematical background plus assistance from her beautiful granddaughter and friends to prove that a murder was committed--but not everybody wants her to find the murderer.
Read A Review:

I just finished this intriguing mystery by writer, Alan Cook. Alan has created an engaging protagonist in Lillian, a 70-something senior living in a retirement community. Like peeling back the layers of an onion, Lillian the sleuth, with the author's help, gradually peels back the layers of the mystery of Gerald's death.  Through Lillian's character, we see Alan's wry sense of humor.

Gerald died holding a bridge hand of thirteen diamonds - an almost impossible hand. This reviewer does not play bridge, and is not a skilled in logic. The protagonist is a bridge player and a retired college professor who is accustomed to solving logic puzzles, two of which Cook includes in the mystery. Even reading the solutions left this reviewer mystified.

Overall, this was a fun read, culminating in a near-death adventure for Lillian. Cook writes with an easy, compelling style that engages the reader quickly. Chapters are short and lend themselves to short, quick reading opportunities for busy people.

I strongly recommend this book to any mystery reader. You won't be disappointed.

Sherry Benic