Into the Fire

Karin Kaufmann adds a fourth cozy mystery with an edge to her collection of The Anna Denning Mystery Series. As always, The Club presents a multi-character murder mystery for Anna Denning as she joins the police force as a consultant. It does seem as though murder tends to follow her around and with the help of her close friend Liz, who operates a news website which outshines and often scoops the local Elk Park newspaper, Anna is tasked with finding the family of a murder victim who's missing a finger. A genealogist by trade, Anna simultaneously takes on an extra job from a woman (Melinda) trying to find her family heritage after being summoned by the father who abandoned her family and who she refers to as "the monster".

Anna, Liz, and Melinda investigate the "January Club" by attending one of their yearly open house meetings because of a connection they found to Melinda's father. They learn "the club" is basically composed of a few people who practice various occult practices. Anna discovers the case she's working on for the police ties into this weird club.

Karin's writing is perfect for this genre. We're familiar with Anna Denning after three previous books, and Karin keeps Anna's voice, personality, and actions steady for what we expect of her character. Between Anna and Liz, theories run rampant as they try to figure out the real purpose of the January Club and the odd relationships formed by its members.

If you like cozy mysteries with an edge, The Club by Karin Kauffman is definitely worth your time. Entertaining, informational, clever, and mysterious with a touch of the supernatural, The Club's complex plot and the duo of Anna and Liz working together proves to be enjoyable reading.

Father, thank you for watching over Karin. Please continue to meet her needs and provide her with the stories you design just for her to tell. Bless her, Lord, as only you can do. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.