Murder Among Strangers: A Kate Austen Mystery (Kate Austen Mystery)

Rating:
Summary: A great series that improves with each addition
Review: This is the third book in the Kate Austin series by Jonnie Jacobs that I have read (after 'Murder Among Neighbors' and 'Murder Among Us'.) I think that Jacobs has created a very real and likable lead charachter for her mysteries. I often find myself agreeing out loud with Kate's observations about friendship, family and relationships. This makes Jacob's clever who-done-its even more enjoyable.

Rating:
Summary: A great series that improves with each addition
Review: This is the third book in the Kate Austin series by Jonnie Jacobs that I have read (after 'Murder Among Neighbors' and 'Murder Among Us'.) I think that Jacobs has created a very real and likable lead charachter for her mysteries. I often find myself agreeing out loud with Kate's observations about friendship, family and relationships. This makes Jacob's clever who-done-its even more enjoyable.

Rating:
Summary: Why is caring equating with stupidity?
Review: Though I have read and thoroughly enjoyed all the other Kate Austen mysteries, this foray into the 'woman in jeopardy' genre left me cold.
It has already been establisked that Kate has a weakness for the needy, fine. But we are also expected to beleive that her love for her daughter (naturally) is stornger than anything else. When she was trapped in the trunk of a car with a murdered man, she certainly cried tears for Anna.
Why oh why then would she hinder an investigation attempting to locate her kidnapper and allow this said criminal to dine with her and her daughter a few weeks after the ordeal? Nothing was even said about the flu-laden kidnapper making her daughter sick, but she had a fever a day or two later.
The media--and countless others in our popular culture--denigrate or laud the boundless 'heart' that women possess over men, but why oh why is that shown to make us stupid?
Jonnie Jacobs should return to the fold of suburban mysteries, where characterrs and their motivations held a high degree of realism, not oft-putting stereotypes.