Fool's Puzzle

By Judith L. Lauter

Book Overview

Leaving behind memories of her late husband, Benni Harper is making a fresh start...Moving to the trendy California town of San Celina, she takes an exciting new job as director of a folk-art museum. While setting up an exhibit of handmade quilts, she stumbles upon the body of a brutally stabbed artist. Hoping to conduct an investigation on her own, she crosses paths with the local police chief, who thinks this short and sassy cowgirl should leave detecting to the cops and join him for dinner. But it's hard to keep a country girl down, and soon Benni uncovers an alarming pattern of family secrets, small-town lies--and the shocking truth about the night her husband died...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 042514545X
• ISBN13: 9780425145456
• Release Date: January 1995
• Publisher: Berkley Books
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.31 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.2" x 6.7"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Quilts, Mystery and Romance

This story crosses several different paths. There's the quilting interest, because the main character, Benni Harper is the curator of a small folk-art museum in California. In fact, the story starts with Benni getting ready to have a quilt show. The mystery comes in when Benni discovers the body of a local artist in the museum. Finally, a little romance is provided by the attractive detective who's investigating the murder...

Strong Characters make for a Remarkable Debut

Benni Harper is trying to put her life back together. It's been nine months since her husband died. Recently, she's moved into the town of San Celina and taken a job at the local artist co-op running the folk art museum, a job she's perfect for. But then she finds one of the artists stabbed in the woodshop. Since her cousin was seen fleeing the scene, she gets involved trying to find out what happened. The stakes are...

Fool's Puzzle

Highly enjoyable read. Recently widowed Benni Harper is a likeble character working as curator in a folk art museum. When murder hits too close for comfort, Benni starts digging for information, even against the wishes of the handsome police chief, Gabe Ortiz. Benni's grandmother Dove, will leave you laughing as she keeps a sharp eye on Benni while meddling in her life. Earlene Fowler's writing is down to earth and a pleasure...

Benni and Gabe

This book is a wonderful "cozy" -- the first in a long, strong series by Fowler that sets up the relationship between amateur sleuth Benni Harper and the Chief Gabe Ortiz, one of the sexiest characters in mystery books today. I have read the book and given it as a gift, too. Readers of all ages seem to connect with not only the quirky setting but also the romantic tension and humorous tone. I highly recommend not just this...

I love it--I can hardly wait to see what Benni does next!!

This book has everything I like in a great story - humor, intrigue, romance and suspence. I am a quilter and collector of fine art and about her age so I feel a kinship to Benni, although I'm not as mouthy as she is. Benni's Grandma Dove is so funny, I laughed out loud while I was reading (which I seldom do when I'm reading). How can you not love this feisty woman who definitely speaks her mind. Gabe Ortiz, who wouldn't...