The Lovestruck Detective by M. C. Anderson is a murder mystery set in a rural area in mid-Missouri, roughly halfway between Kansas City and St. Louis. The small town of Little Bend is shaken to the core by the murder and mutilation of a local man who was planning his wedding to his boyfriend the following weekend. Shortly after there is another murder and Charles, his love partner, is charged with both crimes. It falls to Sarah Jennings from a wealthy family in Kansas to defend him. In turn, she asks Jack Archer to investigate the case and, when both of them are threatened, to act as her bodyguard. When a fire destroys the antique shop owned by Charles and threats are sprayed around town, Sarah knows it is not going to be easy to prove Charles’ innocence, especially when those in high places may be involved.

M. C. Anderson’s The Lovestruck Detective begins innocently enough as the main character Jack Archer finds a dead body in the river. It maintains an even pace throughout and most of the loose ends are tied by the last page. One that is left open suggests there will be more books in the series. There are some interesting descriptions of nature around the Missouri River – Jack is an environmental graduate. The author paints clear pictures of the countryside and small-town living. He highlights rural prejudices, the problems with modern developments that destroy nature, and the greed of big business. A quick read on a rainy afternoon for lovers of detective novels.

The Lovestruck Detective: A Big Muddy Mystery by M. C. Anderson tells the story of Jack Archer, an ecologist who finds a dead body in the river. It is the body of a local business owner and when a lawyer asks for Jack's help in finding out what happened, he soon finds himself falling for her. This was an interesting story, it is not your typical cop detective type story. Jack's job isn't typical, but it does reflect how certain jobs are not readily available and Jack has to get by in other ways. I do enjoy mysteries set in small towns because that is usually where people have the most secrets and there is plenty to unravel. It was different, but in a good way.

M. C. Anderson has written an engaging story in The Lovestruck Detective: A Big Muddy Mystery. It does deal with lesser covered topics and tries to find a balance. The author really paints a picture of the area and really brought it to life. It did look at some more taboo relationships and topics. Jack being in a relationship with an older woman is not something that you read about often, despite the fact that it is quite common. He also touches on the subject of racism, homophobia, and classism. There was a lot to digest, but the author has written it well and the characters are consistent. I would recommend it to mystery fans who are looking to read something a little bit different.