"The Murder at Whispering Pines" by Lai Holmes

When I am travelling to see friends and family, I usually take a detour through one of my old neighborhoods or past an old school or job. A simple drive home from somewhere usually becomes hours-long, much to the chagrin of my children.

Certainly I'm not the only one who passes through a place that was once a routine in their previous life. Some people leave and never look back because they don't need to. They lived that part of their life and they don't need to visit that part of the past any longer. Not me. I go back and visit the ghosts every chance I get.

There are times when people need to go back to an old neighborhood. Sometimes they need to pick something up from their parents or, in a worst-case-scenario, a relative has died and something needs to be picked up. Unfortunately, there may be a time when you have to go back to the old neighborhood to take care of some business, usually after the loss of a loved one.

Murder at Whispering Pines

Lai Holmes has written "The Murder at Whispering Pines", her first book. Holmes' book is about a journalist, Joanna Gaines, who inherits her aunt's bookstore. Joanna has finally paid off her student loans and she her career as a journalist is just starting to find success. Things have been going well for her when she learned that her aunt had died and she is in charge of "Enchanted Reads". She didn't want this responsibility, but it has been placed on her shoulders anyway, along with a side of guilt reminding her she will be doing this for her family. "Family is everything."

When Joanna returns to Whispering Pines, she sees Max Bennett. Max and Joanna grew up together, and Joanna had a crush on Max when they were growing up. Max is now the sheriff of Whispering Pines, entrusted with making sure the little town and its inhabitants are safe. They decide to catch up some more at Mr. Jameson's bakery for some breakfast, but Mr. Jameson is dead. Joanna starts to wonder if there is a connection between the deaths of Mr. Jameson and her Aunt Margaret, as well as Mrs. Potter, the town seamstress.

Did someone in town want these people dead, or was it actually the natural causes that account for the official cause of death?

The official report says Aunt Margaret died of a heart attack, but there is something that isn't sitting right with Joanna, something her instincts as a journalist will not allow her to ignore. Joanna's aunt loved Whispering Pines. It was a love shared by Mr. Jameson and Mrs. Potter. Did someone in town want these people dead, or was it actually the natural causes that account for the official causes of death? Joanna wants to dig further, but will her digging endanger her old friend, one she is catching feelings for? Symbols appear to be showing up throughout the town. One of those symbols might be hanging on a wall in the bookstore.

Exploring Old Neighborhoods

Lynn, MA. My hometown,
and one of my detours.

There are many things that can bring us back to our old haunts. It can be a celebration, tidying up a loved ones affairs after a passing, or just taking a detour while driving to a destination or driving back home. Sometimes you want to get something to eat at a place like Mr. Jameson's Bakery, or you look at changed made to a house that used to belong to your best friend. When Joanna returned to her hometown to check out her aunt's bookstore, she never thought she would be in any danger. The small town of Whispering Pines is a beloved town and people there will do anything to protect it. Unfortunately, we have all heard stories of ruthless people who will anything they feel they need to do to get what they want. Sometimes, towns will suffer from that.

Whatever reasons people have for passing through towns or past schools or ball fields, they are their own. Two people can go by the same place and they can be flooded with different memories. Sometimes, when one of my children are in the car, they will see something we drive by and they will say something that starts with, "Hey, remember..." It's one of the reasons I hang on to so many things, why I can't bring myself to throw things away. It's also why drives I make take longer than they should.

Like Joanna, we all have things that call us back to places that are a part of our past. Sometimes these things are temporary, and we can go back to where we are living and working. Sometimes, there is something that keeps is there longer, even permanently. Lai Holmes' book features happy memories and uncomfortable situations. Things that fill our everyday lives. Joanna's adventure will have a familiar tone for some, and a riveting story for all.

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