Alice Pepper Lonely Hearts and Puzzle Club #2
Roz Noonan’s main character is Alice Pepper, a librarian, and she also has a club known as the Lonely Hearts and Puzzle Club. Her group spends many a relaxing evening working on puzzles together, sharing good food and company. Sometimes they puzzle over mysteries, too. Alice also has a rather complicated home life, with an estranged daughter, two grand kids that grew up with her as the most stable influence in their lives, an ex-husband, and a new romance on the horizon. Starting her life over as a librarian had seemed daunting when she left the restraint business, but she has found her spot and is thriving in her new community.
That Missing Piece is Killing Me opens with chaos at the library event thanks to some dancing mice and their absent dancing instructor, Michelle Chong. Soon Michelle’s husband, and famous local artist, Lars Olsen, announces her missing not just from her school, but entirely. Alice joins in efforts to search along with the rest of the puzzlers. However, Lars is acting rather odd for a husband with a beloved partner. Everyone knows him as being temperamental, which in this case this is a generous term for an absolute jerk. With his wife missing, it seems he plans to use any and all media coverage to showcase his art, not his missing wife. Alice and company are all very put off by his behavior, but are determined to find Michelle despite his apparent lack of interest.
At the same time, Alice receives a brand-new puzzle in the mail that she thinks might be an apology from Lars, for showing his true and unappealing nature to her. But as she nears the end she realizes a piece is missing. This would drive any puzzler to distraction, and Alice is now on the case of a missing person and a missing piece. Finding out what’s happened to Michelle becomes a lot more complicated, as does the case of the puzzle, but no one could have guessed that one of the two mysteries would result in a murder – a murder that Alice must solve if she is to clear the name of a dear friend and help put the town and herself at ease.
That Missing Piece is Killing Me has a focus on Alice and healing and growth with her family. Readers get to learn about her traumatic past with her daughter and ex-husband, but also see how she has grown and is moving forward. For those who read the previous book, That Missing Piece is Killing Me is a welcome continuation of Alice’s story. For new readers, Roz Noonan sets up characters and scenes in a way that is easy to follow and keep organized. I would recommend the Alice Pepper mysteries for readers who enjoy a steady paced cozy with plenty of character development, as well as interactions with a plethora of other characters as well. With so many personalities, and most of the populace less than enamored with the murder victim, Alice and the puzzlers have their work cut out for them this time. – Carla Schantz