The Gun Also Rises

by Sherry Harris

Another fun cozy mystery is now available in the Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery Series. I always like Sherry Harris’ books better than I like garage sales, which are just a vehicle for her delivery of a great story. The Gun Also Rises will particularly appeal to book lovers. Sarah Winston’s presence is requested by wealthy Mrs. Belle Winthrop Granville, III who asks her prepare a huge collection of mystery paperbacks for sale with the proceeds to benefit the local library. In the same house is a huge collection of old and rare books.

Sarah discovers a suitcase containing what appears to be manuscripts by Hemingway, and she finds herself thrust into a real mystery with murderers, thieves, impostors, literary treasure hunters, mobsters, law enforcement, and reporters. There are a dizzying number of possibilities and suspects that Sarah must negotiate to try to keep herself alive. As she tries to find the missing manuscript, she must also dodge reporters and the bad guys, but first she has to figure out just who they are. She also needs to coordinate a fund-raiser on the town common to raise money to bring back from Afghanistan the street dog adopted by Eric, a sergeant injured by a suicide bomber and now suffering from PTSD. In addition, she needs to complete her work for Miss Belle.

Despite many personal interruptions in my reading of this book, I enjoyed it very much. There are some relationship issues surrounding Sarah with her brother Luke and her D.A. friend Seth, but the mystery is certainly the focus. The story takes you down many pathways with various suspects and motives. The question of whodunit was complex, intriguing, and surprising. This is a great read for cozy mystery lovers.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Mystery

Notes: #6 in the Sarah Winston Garage Sale Mystery Series, but works as a standalone.

Publication:   January 29, 2019—Kensington Books

Memorable Lines:

Weariness crept over me like an incoming sea fog.

Part of the problem with our relationship had been blurred lines. Even though we’d divorced, the lines between our old life and our new one kept blurring, like watercolors that spread across thick paper.

The war was behind them, the stock market crash ahead, and the next world war off in an unsuspecting future. No wonder the twenties were roaring for the rich.