The Cover Story by Deb Richardson-Moore

I enjoyed this mystery centering around the Greek row activities of a southern elite college in Georgia. The stage for the mystery is set when two college girls on their way home for Christmas break are forced off the road. One is killed. Why someone would want to harm these women requires an extensive investigation. The resulting plot is complex but interesting.

I like Branigan, a local newspaper reporter with a bent to solving mysteries. She is friends with the family of the surviving girl and is determined to find out who caused the tragedy. My favorite character by far was Malachi, a homeless man with excellent observation skills. He has frequent insight into the behavior of people. Being homeless, he is somewhat invisible and often gets into investigative situations others could not.

I learned quite a bit about sororities and fraternities. Some of the sororities in the south are something, maintaining a fancy dress code. There was lots of partying going on and sometimes it got out of hand.

I also learned quite a bit about the homeless and how they live. I do appreciate the emphasis on the homeless community in these novels featuring Branigan. There is mild swearing but I felt it fit the situation.

I did enjoy this mystery. It is the second novel featuring Branigan but reads really well on its own. You can read my review of the first in the series, The Cantaloupe Thief, here.

My rating: 4/5 stars.

Deb Richardson-Moore was a reporter for a Greenville newspaper for 27 years. When she received the religion beat, she enrolled in a seminary to learn about her subject, left the newspaper and earned a master of divinity degree. She became pastor of a nondenominational inner city mission to the homeless. Her first book, The Weight of Mercy, tells of her first years in that ministry. She and her husband have three grown children. You can find out more at http://debrichardsonmoore.com.

Lion Fiction (distributed in the U.S. by Kregel), 288 pages.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Kregel. My comments are an independent and honest review.