Dark Lake: An Allie Armington Mystery (Allie Armington Mysteries) by Louise Gaylord

Almost perfect

Allie Armington is a repeating character in a series written by Louise Gaylord. I have never read one of the series books and that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story, so this book could be read without reading others in the series, but it did make me want to read more of the books.

Allie is invited to spend the 4th of July weekend at her aunt Sallie's house - a vacation cottage that Allie had spent many summers in as a child. She is full of fond memories and adores her aunt, who was more of a mother to her than her own mother was. She gets a big surprise though when she gets there - Sallie's dead and her drug addict cousin is tied up in her bedroom. Someone is after a tiara that Allie and her cousin played with as children, but who is after it? Gaylord weaves a very interesting and gripping tale full of mystery and danger. The story is told mostly from Allie's point of view, which serves to heighten the suspense. Allie has to peel away layers of deceit to find the real culprit in this who-done-it.

Allie Armington is a lawyer and a private detective. Unusual combination, but it works. Allie carries a gun and is tough when she needs to be. The only thing I found that took away from the story were the times that she was the helpless female needing the romantic interest in the story to help her. Would someone who is a private detective with years of experience and her own gun in her pocket really be that needy? I'm all for a little romantic love interest stuff as long as it is in character and this didn't feel like a part of the Allie I thought I was getting to know.

Still, the story was good and I'll probably be checking a few of the other series books out.