The Bobcat Mountain Murders (Book) Review
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A Hamilton Smith Mystery Hamilton “Ham” Smith has a lot going on lately. After the tragic death of his wife, the business consultant has decided it’s time for a change of pace. So he left everything behind in New England and headed out west to rent a villa on Bobcat Mountain – a retirement community […]
A Hamilton Smith Mystery
Hamilton “Ham” Smith has a lot going on lately. After the tragic death of his wife, the business consultant has decided it’s time for a change of pace. So he left everything behind in New England and headed out west to rent a villa on Bobcat Mountain – a retirement community in Colorado. Of course, life is never simple for Ham Smith, and he soon finds himself embroiled in a murder mystery that will have him working double time to keep his neighbors safe – and catch a killer in the process.
As a lead character, Hamilton Smith is rather prim and proper. A very businesslike guy, he often laments the casualness of the Midwesterners he now finds himself living amongst. Although he soon finds a fast friend in the local newspaper editor, his east coast properness never really jibes with the laid back style of those around him. And since the book is written from Ham’s perspective, it often comes off as a bit stilted and contrived. That, combined with the disappointing editing errors (simple there/their, site/cite type of stuff that really should have been caught early), were my biggest disappointments with this book.
Nevertheless, The Bobcat Mountain Murders does have something to offer to mystery fans willing to look past some misspellings and an overly proper tone. The murder mystery itself is well presented, and has enough twists and turns to keep things interesting (although the seasoned mystery reader will likely easily pinpoint the culprit, there’s enough going on that you’ll at least doubt that you’re right for much of the book). At the time that Ham is moving in to Bobcat Mountain, there is a lot of dissension among the residents in regards to an energy company that wishes to drill near the high end retirement community. Naturally, this leaves residents who purchased their homes envisioning a quiet retirement feeling a bit cheated.
Tensions are high, but when the newspaper receives a poorly written threatening letter, no one but Ham really takes it seriously. Of course, once bodies start turning up, that changes really quickly. Hamilton Smith quickly teams up with the newspaper editor, a retired sociologist, and the acting sheriff to try to keep things safe. As bodies pile up, the pressure is on – find the killer, or be killed – and it’s up to Ham to figure out who’s next.
The Bobcat Mountain Murders is a book that could definitely stand with a little editing and a more conversational tone, but it nonetheless offers a thrilling mystery that keeps you guessing for much of the book.