Gwen Florio debuts the Nora Best mystery series with Best Laid Plans. It features a woman over fifty as the protagonist. She tells the story, and I think readers will find themselves rooting for her. She’s not quite as confident as she pretends, but she “fakes it until she makes it”. I like the voice of this new character.
Nora Best and her husband, Joe, retired from their jobs and sold their house. They have plans to travel the country, living in their Airstream, while Nora writes a book about their adventures. But, Nora’s first adventure occurs at their goodbye party when she finds Joe in the bathroom having sex with her best friend. Nora’s furious. She videos their antics, and posts it for all their guests to see, before she pulls out with the trailer. Of course, she hadn’t thought about the fact that she hadn’t driven the new truck, and certainly hadn’t driven it with an Airstream behind it.
Nora drives from Colorado to Wyoming that evening, pulling into a campground where Miranda, one of the campground hosts, directs her to a pull-through site since she hasn’t yet tried to backup the trailer. Miranda and Brad seem quite welcoming, and invite Nora over for drinks the second night. Then, a screaming Miranda wakes Nora, saying Brad went out during the night, and he was probably eaten by a bear. The sheriff doesn’t believe that, but he has no problem suspecting the newcomer, Nora, might have something to do with Brad’s disappearance.
Nora realizes Wyoming and camping might not be quite as restful as she anticipated. Bears? A missing man? And, the long-haul truck drivers are warning each other not to pick up “lot lizards”, prostitutes. Some woman is killing truckers at truck stops.
While Nora worries about her plans for the next step, the sheriff has other plans for her. Despite her protests, she’s arrested. With her mugshot plastered all over the Internet, Joe tracks her down. But, now that she’s had a taste of freedom, Nora is unwilling to handle Joe’s issues. She’s always been one of those women who “handled it”, all of the family problems. Now, she’s ready to deal with her own problems. And, the local Forest Ranger, Caleb Dexter, seems more willing to accept the new Nora than her cheating husband is.
What really happened to Brad? Who stole the Airstream when Nora wasn’t looking? Most important, who is making Nora the patsy in an evil game?
Meet Nora Best. Her marriage may no longer be the best in the neighborhood, but she’s going to move on and make herself the “Best” she can be. (As I said, I think you’ll appreciate Nora’s voice.)
Gwen Florio’s website is www.gwenflorio.net
Best Laid Plans by Gwen Florio. Severn House, 2021. ISBN 9780727890245 (paperback), 256p.
FTC Full Disclosure – I read a .PDF for a journal review.
My library doesn’t have this yet but they have a batch of the author’s other books so maybe they’ll get this one.
I hope they get this one, Sandy. It’s a good kickoff to a new series.
It does sound interesting. Voice is very important. One of the best to me was Owen Parry(Ralph Peters)’s Civil War-era series about Welsh immigrant Abel Jones, who fought with the British Army in India during the Mutiny and now enlists in the Union Army…and ends up a special envoy for Abraham Lincoln. The Welsh “voice” is so specific and so perfect, you can see the character and what he sees. Faded Coat of Blue was the first of eight books.
Well, the voice certainly isn’t as distinct as the voice in that series, Jeff.
If I were Nora, I would it quits on Joe. Coughing and coughing today. Tomorrow will see my pulmanologist. Last time, I was coughing, and he said that I am fine because I had a good breathing test. Will tell him, yes I am breathing good but what can I do about the coughing. Grrrr!
I agree, Carolee. She should call it quits. I hope you get some help tomorrow with that cough! That’s miserable. Take care. I’m glad you have a doctor’s appointment.
I put it on my library list as they do have it…
Oh, good, Gram.