Golden Malicious by Sheila Connolly

"Sheila Connolly writes at least two other mystery series--one that revolves around museums and a newer one set in Ireland (the county Cork mysteries). I've read them all, and my favorite series is probably the Orchard Mysteries, largely because the characters Meg and Seth have so much depth and interest. One cares about them after reading the books in this series, and part of the suspense lies in our not knowing what the next book will bring to their lives. There are surprises in each book, and the ending of this one is no exception. However, despite the different locations and story lines of Ms. Connolly's books, they all have one characteristic in common: they have a great deal of detail, and as a result, the action moves slowly. In this book, the mystery involves the death of one person and the possibility that it is related to the unexplained presence near the body of an Asian Longhorn beetle. Meg is involved because she finds both the body and the beetle, and she is preoccupied with their possible connection for much of the story....."

'beetle' 'wildfires' 'drought' 'body' 'fund' 'propose' 등이 중요한 단어들인 거 같다. 이 작가의 다른 작품들처럼 의도된 살인은 발생하지 않는다. 오래된 집의 복구에 대한 이야기, 산림에 대한 이야기, 벌레에 대한 이야기, 더위와 가뭄에 지친 인물들에 대한 묘사 등이 이 작품의 거의 전체를 차지한다. 책의 중반을 지나면 이 작품이 살인과 같은 미스터리적 요소를 다루는 면에서는 진부하다는 생각을 하게 된다. 아무튼 이 작품은 '산불' 장면을 제외하고는 긴장감이 거의 없다. 문장이나 구성은 읽기에 쉽다.