Rating: 
Summary: highly recommended
Review: Combine humor, family secrets and murder, and the resulting DIAMONDBACK by Elizabeth Dearl keeps this fast-paced mystery both entertaining and surprising to the end! Mystery author Taylor Madison manages to wreck her prized Volkswagen when a rattler sudden appears on the highway and she swerves to avoid it. Her five hundred-mile journey ends in Perdue City, Texas, population 2,948, where she's soon aghast to learn that she's arrived just in time for a rattlesnake festival. Taylor's purpose for coming to Perdue City is to confront her estranged aunt, a woman whose existance Taylor only learned about a week following her mother's death. Taylor had unexpectedly come across a card tucked away in her mother's personal effects, suggesting that her mother had not been open or honest about her past. When she hikes into town, Taylor's relieved to finally find an open hardware store to get warm. The owner apologizes that there's no taxi in town, but does offer the services of the local sheriff as chauffeur. The sheriff, Miles Crawford, takes a personal interest in her from the first moment he sees Taylor. First he drives her to her aunt's house, where she's quickly ejected from the home. Then he appoints her deputy sheriff to earn money for her car repair, and helps to secure a room over the hardware store while she stays in Perdue City. The sheriff's kindness ends rather quickly, however, when his housekeeper finds him dead in his recliner. Since no one else was immediately available, Taylor is called to the scene, where she observes several inconsistencies that point, not to an accidental rattlesnake bite, but murder. Who would have thought rattlesnakes could be funny and entertaining? But in Dearl's hands, the rattlesnakes and the ferret steal the show. With lots of rattlesnake lore, plenty of comic relief, and a generous dose of attitude, I couldn't put DIAMONDBACK down. I highly recommend it.
Rating:
Summary: A Mystery Like No Other!
Review: Diamondback is a mystery you won't forget. The setting and characterization sweep you up instantly and the intricate, multilevel plots keep you on your toes right to the very end. Elizabeth Dearl has a delightfully unique turn of phrase that I found very refreshing. The author obviously knows her stuff. Whether describing rattlesnake behaviour or police procedure, Ms. Dearl shows she is a seasoned professional at the craft of writing. It's no surprise that she's won the Derringer Award for short mystery fiction. Her transition to novel-length fiction will most assuredly establish her as one of the most talented mystery writers of today.
Rating:
Summary: Diamondback
Review: Diamondback takes you to the heart of small-towns, Texas-style. With a grapevine that rivals the Internet for disseminating information, Elizabeth Dearl shows life in a small town at its absolute best.... and worst. She sets the stage of Perdue, TX and invites all her readers to move in along side Taylor Madison, a spunky newcomer who fits right in. Or does she? A multi-layered plot, multi-dimensioned characters, and mutli-rattled critters, Ms. Dearl knows her stuff-from police procedure to milkin' rattlers. Readers are in for a welcome and exciting and challenging read.
Rating:
Summary: Diamondback
Review: Diamondback takes you to the heart of small-towns, Texas-style. With a grapevine that rivals the Internet for disseminating information, Elizabeth Dearl shows life in a small town at its absolute best.... and worst. She sets the stage of Perdue, TX and invites all her readers to move in along side Taylor Madison, a spunky newcomer who fits right in. Or does she? A multi-layered plot, multi-dimensioned characters, and mutli-rattled critters, Ms. Dearl knows her stuff-from police procedure to milkin' rattlers. Readers are in for a welcome and exciting and challenging read.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating!
Review: Elizabeth Dearl writes a stunning mystery! Her descriptions, characterizations put the reader right in the middle of this intriguing plot. She is a wonderful new voice in the genre! I give DIAMONDBACK my highest recommendation!
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating!
Review: Elizabeth Dearl writes a stunning mystery! Her descriptions, characterizations put the reader right in the middle of this intriguing plot. She is a wonderful new voice in the genre! I give DIAMONDBACK my highest recommendation!
Rating:
Summary: Humor and Mystery - my favorite combination
Review: I could not put Diamondback down! This was a great book. It provided mystery, humor, small town closeness and strangeness (snake festival). Where I wouldn't compare it with Janet Evanovich, I would compare it to Kathleen Taylor's series. I have the second book Twice Dead ready to read next and I hope there will be a third out soon. Don't miss out on this author.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome mystery!
Review: I just finished reading Diamondback. What an awesome mystery! I loved it! Couldn't put it down. The characters, the dialogue and the setting are so real I felt I was in Perdue. Excellent and well-constructed plot! I had no idea whodunit until the end. The suspense kept me turning the pages faster and faster. The main character, Taylor Madison is one of the best and strongest female characters I have read in a long time. Very unique and original. And Cal, her new love interest, is such a cutie! I'm glad this is a series because I can't wait to read more about these characters. Oh, and it was so funny in places I was laughing out loud. What a wry sense of humor this author has! I also loved the heroine's pet ferret, all the interesting secondary characters, the creepy snakes...just everything. This author has incredible talent and skill. Count me in as a major fan!
Rating:
Summary: A new series you have got to follow...
Review: I really enjoyed reading Diamondback, the first installment of Taylor Madison mysteries by Elizabeth Dearl. I think Ms. Dearl did a good job researching small West Texas towns. The secondary characters really make this book and story is a good read. While some of the clues seemed obvious to me the time spent putting them all together was thoroughly enjoyable. This book is recommended to everybody who loves a good cozy.
Rating:
Summary: Hate snakes, love Diamondback
Review: Janet Evonovich move over. Taylor Madison is a terrific heroine. She's spunky, likable, inventive and knows how to stir the pot. If you hate snakes, like I do, you'll feel like a well-protected voyeur as you slither through this engaging story. The book is very well written, a grabber from page one with a cast of characters you'll enjoy to the very end. I loved Hazel, Taylor's pet ferret. Made me want to run right out and buy one. Then I remembered they're illegal in California. Ah well, I'll just have to wait for the next Taylor Madison book. This is one of those books once you start reading you just want to keep right on going until you reach the end. If you don't have this book, it's a must read for mystery lovers. Put it on the top of your TBR stack and get started. You'll love every page.
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