Mom Meets Her Maker

This swift and engrossing mystery brings back two multifaceted characters introduced in Jaffe's first novel, A Nice Murder for Mom : Dave, a middle-aged former New York detective on the homicide squad, now working for the public defender in Mesa Grande, Colo., and his mother, 75, who moved with him in order to supply meals, love and sage advice. When charismatic, beloved Reverend Chuck Candy is found shot to death, suspicion falls on his next-door neighbor Roger Meyer. Dave and his boss, public defender Ann Swenson, are called in to defend him. Roger seems to be guilty; he has already made himself heartily disliked in the small town by asking the reverend to tone down his noisy and extravagant Christmas display that was disturbing Roger's elderly parents. With the help of Dave's mom's shrewd hunches and uncanny intuition, Ann and Dave deftly work their way through some bigoted townspeople, an uncooperative and hostile district attorney, and a key (but erratic) eyewitness before ferreting out the truth. Mom, dispensing advice along with her pot roast, is invaluable. This book is carefully plotted, leaves ample clues, yet manages several surprises. (Feb.)