Martin and Roe retrace Regina's path back to Ohio, to the small town where Martin grew up, taking the baby with them. As Roe reluctantly begins to bond with the infant she knows belongs elsewhere, she and Martin search for answers to the questions that haunt them. Why did Regina keep her pregnancy a secret, and why did she flee to Georgia? Why did she abandon her baby? Did she kill her husband, and if so, why?

Do you ever get the feeling you should quit while you're ahead? The sixth in a series that I have enjoyed greatly, I'm sad to say that A Fool and His Honey was one too many for me. The cover copy promises mystery, humor, and charm, and the book lives up to the promise in many ways. Roe is a heroine who grabs the reader's attention from beginning to end, and her "voice" is strong and authentic. There are many small details that quietly ring true while adding humor and humanity to the narrative. While the solution to the mystery was a bit obvious, that strong voice kept me interested. So what's my problem?

A good code phrase might be "unexpected tragedy". Unfortunately, the cover copy gives no warning regarding the dismal event upon which the story finishes. I am rarely in the mood for tragedy, and I find it hard to call a novel that ends so depressingly "charming". The mystery is solved, all is explained, but for someone who reads for the characters and relationships as much as for the puzzle, this was a most unsatisfactory -- if not downright depressing -- read.

--Jeri Wright