Quiet nights for Gerry and few and far between these days and while she and Richard are trying to enjoy one, they are interrupted by next door neighbor June (also nephew Skip’s girlfriend) at the door, very distraught because Skip (a local detective on the police force) has just arrested June’s friend Zoe for murdering Zoe’s boyfriend Brad.

June begs Gerry to prove Zoe’s innocence, but Gerry doesn’t know Zoe and is currently very involved in preparations for the town’s upcoming celebration commemorating the Lincoln-Douglas debates.  Gerry is creating a miniature scene, and her daughter-in-law Mary Lou has won a coveted commission to create a painting. 

Gerry didn’t realize how tight the competition was until she learned that the evening Brad was murdered, many of the paintings that were housed at center where he was killed, were slashed and that there was videotape of Zoe doing the slashing.  Really not wanting to get involved, but egged on by Maddie, June, and of all people, Mary Lou, Gerry begins asking a few questions, finds Brad’s unstable ex-wife, and learns that Zoe may not be as innocent as she claims.   

Malice in Miniature is anything but a small-scale mystery.  Gerry is a very active retiree, with an interesting hobby that she is very keen on passing on to her granddaughter and sharing with others.  She has a good relationship with her adult son and daughter-in-law and is pleased they will be living close by, but after sharing a house for several months, will be glad to have her own space back. 

She and Maddie have a close relationship, and Gerry is concerned about Maddie’s adjustment to her new school and environment and does her best to help her granddaughter, short of condoning Maddie’s participation in a murder investigation.  Maddie is an appealing young girl who is slowly turning from tomboy into teenager and is precocious without being bratty.  There are plenty of red herrings to turn Gerry’s attention away from the obvious murderer; the story of Brad’s ex-wife provides another layer of interest, almost more than the main story itself.  There are plenty of crafting techniques and tips, along with Lincoln trivia providing added interest  to this quick, crafty read.  

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry