The Skirt Man
by Shelly Reuben
Harcourt, Inc.
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Reviewed by Andrea Sisco
I've read several of Shelly Reuben's novels during the past year and her ability amazes me. Every novel is so very different from the one before. Her 2005 title, Tabula Rasa had a serious and dark feel while her current title The Skirt Man is no less serious (murder is always serious) but Reuben injects some light humor and the tone is intimate and the characters are, well, some are eccentric and the others are a bit nasty and others still are warm and loveable. The Skirt Man is the perfect murder mystery for me.
Killdeer, New York is a small town with some pretty colorful and even eccentric people. Morgan Mason is one of the eccentric. Every few days, accompanied by his dog, he drives his tractor into town wearing a skirt.
Most of the townspeople shy away from him, his sister dislikes him and a new resident in town would love to tear down the huge satellite dish that rests on his roof. Usually these 'things' are just minor issues in everyday life. But those 'things' become more serious when Mason is found dead in a fire at his house.
State Trooper Sebastian Bly and Fire Marshal Billy Nightingale are called in to investigate Mason's death. Bly's wife Annie is a local reporter and adds her own talents to the investigation. She also is the novel's narrator. Clues lead Sebastian, Billy and Annie to various members of the community, each who have had contact with Mason and provide pieces of the puzzle that ultimately brings Bly and Nightingale to the truth.
Armchair Interviews says: The warm conversational tone in Reuben's
storytelling of The Skirt Man gives the novel strength. It's a difficult book to put down once you start reading.