Her fans have been waiting patiently and finally, Lowcountry Boneyard – the latest in the Liz Talbot series by Susan M. Boyer – is available. Reading the Liz Talbot series is like sitting in your favorite rocking chair on a wraparound porch, sipping sweet tea in the midst of a summer thunderstorm. There is comfort in the recurring characters and familiar settings with just the right mixture of solemnity and frivolity, as the threat of chaos and danger lingers at the edges.
In Lowcountry Boneyard, Liz Talbot is hired by a millionaire to locate his missing daughter, Kent Heyward. Everyone, including the police, believe that Kent just ran away of her own free will, but Colton Heyward can’t be convinced. Beginning with the extended Heyward family, Liz must dig into the secrets of the rich in order to discover the truth. The only problem is that the folks South of Broad are not used to being scrutinized in such a way.
Much of this investigation requires Liz to explore Charleston, South Carolina, but fans of the series can rest assured that there is also plenty of time spent in Stella Maris. The usual gang of supporting characters comes out to mix and mingle. And yes, that includes Colleen, Liz’s best friend and her (literal) guardian angel. Boyer has a knack for weaving in this supernatural character in such a way so as to make it completely realistic and believable.
Unfortunately, Colleen can’t help when it comes to Liz’s love life. Liz’s relationship with her partner/boyfriend, Nate, continues to grow more complicated. Tensions over where they should reside threaten to tear the two apart. The history of past relationships would be complex enough, but when you add in that Liz keeps meeting eligible men during her case work, decisions are going to have to be made.
As with all of the Lowcountry books, Lowcountry Boneyard feels like a cozy, but also gently pushes the boundaries of that genre. Susan M. Boyer knows the ins and outs of the Southern lifestyle and this makes each character feel alive. From the Talbot family to Moon Unit Glendawn, the owner of the local diner, readers will enjoy this return visit to Boyer’s fictional world. The mystery at hand – Kent’s disappearance – is merely the backdrop which allows readers to explore the plethora of Southern eccentrics. However, by the time readers reach the dénouement set within Magnolia Cemetery, it’s impossible to deny that Liz Talbot is in whole heap of trouble.
Lowcountry Boneyard is a delightful entry in this traditional mystery series and will leave readers anxious for Lowcountry Bordello, coming later this year.
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Disclaimer: A print galley of this title was provided to BOLO Books by the author. No review was promised and the above is an unbiased review of the novel.
Kristopher, thank you so much for this lovely review! I’m so happy you enjoyed the read and I deeply appreciate your kind words. You’ve put a big smile on my face this morning! 🙂
I’m so glad Susan. You should always be smiling!
I love your review. This is a great series.
Thanks Dru. I love this series as well.
I enjoy Susan’s books and am looking forward to reading this one.
Kris, I also have a recommendation for you. I know you visited Mystery Lovers Bookshop a few years ago – Annette Dashofy is a Pittsburgher “born and bred.” If you haven’t yet read any of her books please try one. I think they are very well written; I just can’t put the book down once I begin. They are: Circle of Influence, Lost Legacy, and Bridges burned which was just released.
Thank you Leslie. I have had Annette’s books on my list for a while now. With your recommendation, I’ll bump them up the list.