Murder Take Two (Police Chief Susan Wren Mysteries)

By Charlene Weir

Book Overview

The last place that Chief of Police Susan Wren expects to find herself is in the middle of a real-life soap opera. But when a Hollywood film crew comes to the small town of Hampstead, Kansas, there seems to be more drama off the stage than on it. On a film shoot one day, a fatal accident befalls stunt-double Kay Bender. A dead-ringer for the stunning screen star Laura Edwards, Kay may have been the unfortunate victim of a murderous plot to get rid of the much-disliked actress. As Susan investigates, she finds that almost everyone has a motive for wanting to sabotage the film or to kill Laura. The film is running far over budget, and the temperamental director appears to be a likely suspect. Susan also uncovers a steamy affair between Laura's boyfriend, narcissistic actor Nick Logan, and Laura's rival for the part, actress Sheri Lloyd, who makes no effort to conceal her dislike for the beautiful and talented star. To top it all off, Susan discovers that Parkhurst, her deputy, was once married to the now-famous actress. Susan must battle both her jealousy of Parkhurst and Laura's past relationship and her attraction to this darkly mysterious officer whose feelings she is unable to guess.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0312181361
• ISBN13: 9780312181369
• Release Date: February 1998
• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

A mystery crackling with high-voltage tension and suspense

Murder Take Two, by Charlene Weir, is the fourth in a series of high-voltage mysteries. Weir is a master of tight, clean prose; characters the reader can care about; and intricate, twisty plots. Susan Wren, a former San Francisco police officer, becomes police chief of Hampstead, KS, when her new husband, the former chief, is murdered. Initially Susan wants the post because she is driven to catch his killer. Now, three years later, she wonders what is keeping her in this small town where she is still the outsider. Realizing that one part of the answer is something she would prefer not to admit even to herself--her attraction to second in command Ben Parkhurst--she tries unsuccessfully to stamp out her interest in him. In Murder Take Two, a Hollywood film crew is on location in Hampstead. When a stunt double is killed, Susan learns that the movie's leading lady, the lovely Laura, was once married to Parkhurst. Susan orders him off the case, but with Laura begging him to protect her, he can't stay away. As Susan struggles with her jealousy and Parkhurst's insubordination, an appealing young officer, Yancie, follows a string of bizarre episodes to the book's explosive ending. This series has everything going for it: fascinating characters, a sense of place so real you find yourself slapping mosquitoes, and ingenuous, complex plots. Don't miss it.