Reviewed by Paul Johnson for Readers' Favorite

The chairman of the university’s Spanish Department, Mason Blaine, had a lot of enemies. One hated him enough to kill him, and then stick a knife in his back. For Reverend Kathryn Koerney, this shocking example of overkill in small-town New Jersey has her and most others puzzled. Along with Tom Holder, Harton police chief, she finds herself hunting a killer. Soon they discover that Blaine’s murder is only the bait in a carefully disguised trap set for the real victim. To make matters worse, Tom’s wife has gone missing under mysterious circumstances. Kathryn and Tom find themselves immersed in a whirlwind of deceit and suspicion when death strikes again.

Outstanding, that’s the feeling I had after finishing "Familiar Friend". This is one of the better mysteries I’ve read in a long time. The Reverend Koerney is great, in moral fiber and deed. The book has a very satisfying plot, the dialog is first rate and the characters are utterly believable. If you like a good, simple, well-written mystery story, you can’t go wrong here.