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Debi Graham-Leard retired from her marketing position in the business world before writing her debut novel. Her first story was inspired by an abandoned village library in her town. Her characters are a combination of people she has met throughout her life. Born in Delaware, she now lives in southeastern Massachusetts with her husband Vinnie, and their cat Kali.
Reviewed by Anne-Marie Reynolds for Readers' Favorite
The Uninvited Guest by Debi Graham-Leard is a murder mystery with a bit of amateur sleuthing thrown in for good measure. Gwen Andrews lost her husband, Parker, two years ago and, after retiring from the school, she takes up teaching music students in her home. Just before a big music contest, she is asked to put one of the judges up, but is not happy when she learns that the judge is none other than a woman she used to work with, a woman who made her life a living hell. Shortly after moving in, the judge disappears and Gwen becomes the number one suspect in her disappearance. Desperate to clear her good name, Gwen takes up a bit of sleuthing, unaware that she is headed straight for trouble as she unearths secrets that could change the town forever.
The Uninvited Guest by Debi Graham-Leard is a good read for those who like uncomplicated mystery stories. The cast of characters was very well developed into a tight group, with plenty of different personalities, each of which had its own place in the run of the story. The plot was well thought out and there are plenty of twists and turns along the way to keep things interesting. The good thing about this book is that it isn’t just a story; there are underlying messages about learning to survive, to live and love again after the death of a loved on. While it was a good story, well told and with plenty going on, I did find it a little on the slow side. The main event didn’t happen until the book was quite a way through and then all of a sudden it sped up. However, that is my only criticism and, on the whole, it was an enjoyable story and I would like to see it expanded into a series.
