Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Miss Dimple Rallies to the Cause-Mignon F. Ballard

Miss Dimple Rallies to the Cause


Mignon F. Ballard

Minotaur, Nov 22 2011, $25.99

ISBN: 9780312614751



In 1943, Elderberry, Georgia residents looks forward to the war bon rally. The gala includes several events including an all-male wedding stage performance. Librarian Virginia Balliew heads the committee putting on the festivities. She receives superb assistance and encouragement from her friend first-grade teacher Miss Dimple Kilpatrick and annoying interference from bus driver Buddy Oglesby whose Aunt Emmaline Brumlow dumped her nephew on Virginia.



Children find the corpse of Cynthia Murphy putting a pallor on the bond drive. Most locals assume one of her trysts killed her. Miss Dimple has her plate full worrying about her friend Phoebe Chadwick, who is very upset but refuses to reveal what is bothering her. Finally at the rally, someone shoots volunteer Jesse Dean Greeson and half the money raised is stolen. Buddy, responsible for the money, is the suspect in the theft, the homicide and the backstage shooting. Miss Dimple investigates.



The latest Miss Dimple WWII regional amateur sleuth (see Miss Dimple Disappears) is a great Southern cozy. The townsfolk are a strong group who bring out life in the small-town Georgian home-front. Many locals assist Miss Dimple on her inquiry though she wishes most would stay out of the way as they inadvertently obfuscate the case. Mignon F. Ballard provides a wonderful mystery inside a terrific period piece.



Harriet Klausner



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