By Tim Cockey
Hyperion
Hardcover

Hitchcock Sewell is back in another installment of the Hearse series. This time he's checking into the disappearance of a former girlfriend's nanny.

Murder in the Hearse Degree Excerpt I shrugged. "Hey, it's just my opinion. But for what it's worth, I think you did a great job. Constantin really came across." The actor was happy to hear that. They're always happy to hear that. He took a long pull from his bottle then set it on the bar and began picking up the label. "Okay," he said after running a tear halfway down the label. "So what's up with Sophie?" I told him. "What's up is that she's dead." ©2003 Tim Cockey Published with permission from Hyperion

Sophie Potts is later found dead, pulled from the river. Authorities say it was a suicide. The young girl was pregnant with no sign of the father sticking around.

But Hitchcock's not so quick to say Sophie jumped into the river and fell to her death. He begins his own investigation and, being the amateur but clever sleuth he is, uncovers a deeper mystery behind the death of Sophie Potts.

Hitch pools the resources of his ex-wife Julia and his detective pal Pete. Together, they see the trail leading them to some pretty powerful people.

As Hitch closes in, bodies start popping up. Not an unusual life for an undertaker but when the bodies start falling right next to him, he gets a little nervous.

Only in the final pages does it all come together for Hitch. But it could be too late. Lives, including his own, are in danger and timing is everything.

Bookworm's Briefing
Tim Cockey's Hearse series is nothing short of genious. Who would've thought readers could fall in love with the idea of an undertaker solving mysteries?

While Murder in the Hearse Degree isn't the best novel in the Hearse series, it's still an excellent visit with your favorite characters. Plus, with a nice introduction of new characters and new scenarios, he leaves the door wide open for future Hearse novels.

And if you're a newcomer to the series, don't worry. You won't be left in the dark. Cockey does a great job of writing for the dedicated Hitch fan to the first-time reader.