Review: "Mother-Daughter Murder Night," Nina Simon

There are four main characters in Nina Simon’s debut novel: Lana, a sharp-edged LA real estate developer; her daughter, Beth, a boho geriatric nurse; Jack, her slight but feisty granddaughter; and the Elkhorn Slough off Monterey Bay, California.

Yes, I’ve become entranced by the marshy estuary and its wildlife (otters!). Despite the murder and mayhem that occurs there, I am ready to board the next flight out to take one of Jack’s kayaking tours.

Jack (short for Jacqueline) is 15, and weighs about 105 pounds. But she can lift her weight in kayaks. Jack loves being out on the water and her job at the Kayak Shack. But when she discovers a dead body while out guiding a group on the slough, Jack becomes a prime suspect in the ensuing police investigation.

Grandma Lana springs into action to protect the teenager. Lana has had to leave her fast-paced life in the metropolis because she’s undergoing chemo. She hates living in Beth’s modest bungalow out on the edge of the slough. But she has no choice.

Lana puts her business savvy and her designer wardrobe to good use as she storms the coast from Santa Cruz to Carmel in search of the murderer. She dons one of her stylish wigs (to hide her hair loss) and fights nausea and fatigue to get the job done. At one point, she uses her Jimmy Choo stilettos to break out of a burning building.

Beth chafes under her mother’s presence as much as she worries about her health. But she gets drawn into the investigation as well. She and Lana used to enjoy their “Mother-Daughter Murder Nights” watching the TV detective series “Colombo,” after all.

The story is told alternatively from the point of view of each woman. Lana questions the death of one of Beth’s patients, Hal, who owned a ranch on the coast of the slough, especially when she discovers that Hal’s children are at odds over what to do with the property.

The victim worked for a land trust. Did Hal strike an agreement with the trust before he died?

And what about Paul, the owner of the Kayak Shack? He seems a bit shady—starting with the fact that he left Jack on her own the day the victim signed up for a paddle.

It’s a good mystery, with a strong sense of place. It also features three strong, likable women who learn to love and appreciate each other more than ever. And it does this without ever being sappy.

And then there’s that amazing slough…