A Murder for Max: A Maxine Benson Mystery

by John Lawrence Reynolds

Overview

Escaping the pressures of big-city policing, Maxine Benson is happy to be appointed police chief in the resort town of Port Ainslie. Max's biggest challenge is to overcome skepticism at her ability to deal with major crimes—like the murder of Billy Ray Edwards.

Few people mourn Billy Ray's passing. He was a bully and was also intent on derailing the biggest development project in the town's history. But murder's murder, and Max is ready to solve it on her own and prove her worth to the townspeople. And maybe even to herself.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781459810594
Publisher:	Orca Book Publishers
Publication date:	10/04/2016
Series:	Rapid Reads
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	4.75(w) x 7.25(h) x (d)
Lexile:	HL600L (what's this?)

About the Author

John Lawrence Reynolds has had many works of fiction and nonfiction published. His work has earned several awards, including two Arthur Ellis Awards for Best Mystery Novel, a National Business Book Award, and a CBC Bookie Award. His bestselling book Shadow People, tracing the development and influence of secret societies through history, was published in fourteen countries and twelve languages. He is also the author of the Maxine Benson Mystery series. He lives in Burlington, Ontario, with his wife, Judy. For more information, visit www.wryter.ca.

Editorial Reviews

"A Murder for Max is strong...readers will hope that there will be a long line of Maxine Benson mysteries. Recommended."

CM Reviews

Rapid Reads is a series of books written for mature reluctant readers. The books are short, fast-paced, and fun to read. Each author brings his or her own individual skill to the strictures of this type of book. A Murder For Max features a small-town female police chief who struggles to gain the respect of her town council. The police procedures for a murder investigation seem a bit sketchy in this book, but the characters are believable and the plot has some interesting twists. Those considering purchases for a teen collection can visit www.rapid-reads.com to read a sample chapter and review a reading guide. The book is meant for mature readers and features adult language and themes. (Rapid Reads) Reviewer: Debbie Kirchhoff; Ages 17 to Adult

VOYA, October 2016 (Vol. 39, No. 4) - Debbie Kirchhoff

2016-07-20
A small-town police chief is determined to solve a murder without help from the big boys.Maxine “Max” Benson came from the Toronto police to become chief in the small town of Port Ainslie, where she runs a three-person department with few problems, until the town bad boy is found shot to death. Billy Ray Edwards had long survived minor scrapes, gone through two wives, and become probably the most hated man in town for refusing to sell his beachfront property to a group of developers who planned to build a big resort that would benefit not just the other landowners who sold their parcels, but almost everyone else in the area by promising plenty of new jobs and an influx of tourists willing to spend money. Now that Billy Ray’s been shot sitting in his garage, suspects abound, from his ex-wives to other landowners and local businessmen. Max is certain that her local knowledge and the street smarts she learned in her big-city job will help her solve the crime—if only she can close the case before it’s taken away from her. The latest entry in the Rapid Reads series is a neat little mystery Reynolds (Beach Strip, 2012) and his intrepid heroine wrap up within a single day.

Kirkus Reviews