The Cantaloupe Thief by Deb Richardson-Moore (Book Review!)

The Cantaloupe Thief

A Branigan Powers Mystery, Book 1

By Deb Richardson-Moore

(received in exchange for an honest review)

 

Genre- Fiction / Christian / Mystery

Published by- Lion Fiction

Copyrighted- 2016

Number of pages- 299

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN: 978-1-78264-192-6

 Branigan Powers, local reporter, is investigating the ten year murder of a wealthy widow, Alberta Resnick.  This is the only murder than this town hasn’t been able to solve.

Branigan knows that there was a homeless person living in the pool house at the time.  She also knows that the homeless often have a lot of information to share, but are often overlooked.  She contacts a local shelter to see if they can help her find those who were living in the area ten years ago.  The more she asks questions and goes to where they live the more dangerous it becomes.  The killer must be back, the homeless who knew something are beginning to die.

Is Branigan safe?  Who is living in her barn?

About the Author-

Deb Richardson-Moore is currently a pastor in South Carolina.  She has been a journalist and worked with the homeless.  Her website is www.debrichardsonmoore.com.

My Thoughts-

This was a great book to begin the series.  I have been interested in homelessness and this book brought it back into focus for me.  There are many homeless and we need to help them as much as week can.  I could tell how much Richardson-Moore had worked with the homeless and cares about them. 

This book showed me how much drugs can take you from the great works you might accomplish in life to a life of being homeless or to a life of crime.  Branigan’s brother, Davison, and Rita, a former retail clerk, I thought were the best examples.

There are a lot of people who help the homeless in this book.  There are also those who are homeless who are try to help those who live around them.  It was interesting that there were people who had excepted that lifestyle and chose to stay that way.  I think it really helped them stay anonymous in life.

The murder mystery to me was a side note on the bigger social issues being discussed.  It was captivating though.  I did not guess the guilty person.  I didn’t even have any idea. 

I’m looking forward to the next book in the series to see what other social issues are talked about.  I recommend that you read this book if you like mysteries or if you want a different viewpoint of the homeless.

If you want to learn more about Richardson-Moore’s work with the homeless, read her book, The Weight of Mercy.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received The Cantaloupe Thief, by Deb Richardson-Moore, for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.