Accidental Intent

Rating:
Summary: Starring a self-sufficient and inveterate sleuth
Review: Marilyn Dungan delivers Accidental Intent as the fourth Laney McVey suspense mystery, set in the Bluegrass mountains of Kentucky. The roots of the characters, however, are Scottish Highland, which makes for a compelling background to a tale full of intrigue.

Opening with a sad and gritty accident, in which Ray Moore is killed by a skittish horse in Scotland, Dungan jumps ahead to Kentucky. Ray's daughter, Keely, is now grown and has traveled to the United States with her 5 year old, Scotty. Then Keely is killed in a bizarre accident by a hit-and-run driver. Little Scotty now is staying with her Uncle Malcolm and his fiancé, Shar Hamilton. A custody battle looms between Malcolm and his cold-hearted sister, Bonnie over Scotty. But Shar, who has been married before, discovers her husband Simon Anderson may still be alive:

"'A U.S. Embassy representative called me from Puerto Rico and broke the news. At least he led me to believe he was from the U.S. Embassy. He gave me a number to call for arrangements. I later agreed to have Simon cremated and his ashes sent to me. It was what Simon had expressed he wanted done if anything ever happened to him. Evidently, it was all a part of Simon's plan to fake his death.' She handed the death certificate to Gray."

Dungan's tale, although fraught with murder and intrigue, is in actuality a heartwarming love story about a family with strong ties and secrets so deep it takes Laney McVey's exceptional skills to unscramble it all. Laney herself is a likeable heroine who deals with her dog Blackberry, who has just birthed a litter, in between putting herself in harm's way to ensure that the wedding of her friends Shar and Malcolm comes off without a hitch.

Accidental Intent is a well crafted and heartwarming story that displays intelligent and varied characters, a plot that twists and turns, and a satisfying ending where all loose ends are tied up into a neat package. Dungan's attention to both the Scottish culture and the history behind this tale makes it a standout plot. Laney McVey is fun to follow around, with her quick wit and daredevil attitude. She is a self-sufficient and inveterate sleuth...