Carolyn Hart's "Death Walked In"

This is 18th in Carolyn G. Hart's "Death on Demand" series featuring Annie and Max Darling of Broward's Island, SC.

In this thriller, Max and Annie find moving into the island's historic Franklin House a bit more nerve-wracking than a move might ordinarily imply. Their newly restored antebellum mansion is said to be the location where a local resident buried a treasure-trove of double-eagle coins. That resident met an untimely death at the hands of the person who actually stole the coins.

The plot revolves around discovering which of several murder suspects actually committed the crime, and hair-raising attempts to keep the house safe from break-ins from those who are either guilty of the murder or just treasure-hunting. A hired hand helps with the guard duties, and a neighbor family is suspected of an inside job in the coin theft.

Perhaps because this crime-fighting couple have been around several years, Hart does not spend a lot of time finely honing the personalities of her main characters. The friends and family members who usually liven up the Death on Demand books are on a cruise and, for the most part, out of the picture. Hart does bring the setting to life fairly well. Broward's Island comes across with the usual sultry charm of a low country setting filled with antebellum houses, shady country lanes, and close-knit, closed-mouthed communities.

This is not my favorite Carolyn Hart offering, but on a sultry summer afternoon, it makes a quick, satisfying read.

Liz Nichols