I read Peri Taichert's first novel, The Clovis Incident, for my book group and it was a fun read. It was fresh as first novels often are, partly due to the author's lack of polish. Still, it was good enough that I looked for another. This one is better, with a tighter plot and a more confident writing style. Her books remind me a little of those of Janet Evanovich--with less sex and romance. Her protagonist, Sasha Solomon, is spunky and amusing, and the books are grounded in the culture and people of New Mexico. The writing style is breezy and the book is a quick read, appropriate for beach, airplane or bedtime.
The Kindle edition has a few problems. The term "m-dash" actually appears in the text (that's an proofreader's word for the dash longer than a hyphen), and one chapter has the opening paragraph printed twice. Another chapter, Chapter 52, left out paragraph breaks, so the whole chapter is one long paragraph. And there are some scattered typos ("one" instead of "on," for instance.) I'm hoping the publisher or author will see these comments and see that the Kindle edition is corrected.
I'm giving it four stars because it was very likeable. It does not compare with the depth and intricacy of Tony Hillerman's novels, but it was a good read, entertaining and relatable.
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K.E. Fuhrmann
Fun
Reviewed in the United States on 4 December 2012Verified Purchase
B.G. Ritts
A witty who-done-it with the sprinkling of a psychic and ghost for seasoning.
Reviewed in the United States on 4 August 2005Verified Purchase
A witty who-done-it with the sprinkling of a psychic and ghost for seasoning.
Reviewed in the United States on 4 August 2005
If you like your cozies with a quirky touch, Pari Noskin Taichert's new book, 'The Belen Hitch', is the book for you. Sasha Solomon is back with her travelling PR work, and this time it brings her to Belen, NM (the first time out she was in Clovis, NM for 'The Clovis Incident', which was nominated for an Agatha). She has a new friend (a very appealing psychic), gets a new beau, and finds a newly dead body to sleuth around and about. Sasha's hallucinations and having her cat speak to her are gone this time out, but she still uses whipped cream straight from the can as comfort food. She hasn't yet started handling her mother's health problems well, but her mother does have a boyfriend who is an absolute gem -- and who calls Sasha, 'Sashala'.Reviewed in the United States on 4 August 2005
She's been hired to make a recommendation to the Belen mayor about two competing local plans for an old, unutilized 'Harvey House'. We find that artists (who want a gallery) and train fans (who want a museum/bed and breakfast combo) are butting heads over the 'right way' to go. (As an aside, the author is a PR professional and I imagine her books will give good inside info -- and every now and then while reading, I thought 'ah ha', that sounds like a very practical idea.) Sasha's first interview is to be with an artist who happens to be an old friend of her mother's. Instead, she discovers the artist's body and the 'who-done-it' is on. By the book's conclusion, several other people we meet have been threatened or had attempts made on their lives.
Pari Taichert's voice is a breezy, breath-of-fresh-air first person with lots of humor. (My favorite example here is while talking with a local woman who 'knows' the Harvey House's ghost -- and a really quite lovely ghost as they go -- Sasha inquires about which plan the ghost would prefer. Local: 'The bed and breakfast.' Sasha: 'Why?' Local: 'She gets lonely.') I met Ms. Taichert at the 2003 Bouchercon convention and liked her instantly. I've liked her books too and hope to get to read new ones from her for a long time. 'The Belen Hitch' is well worth the read -- and I believe your impressions will bring you to the same conclusion.
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Virginia Yank
Looking forward to the next novel in this series.
Reviewed in the United States on 2 December 2016Verified Purchase
Amazon Customer
Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on 24 May 2017Verified Purchase
Amazon Customer
One Star
Reviewed in the United States on 17 June 2016Verified Purchase
