An Introduction to Spring

3 stars: Review of INTRODUCING GERTRUDE, GUMSHOE by Robin Merrill

by Lynne Hinkey            

Fans of easy-reading cozy mysteries might enjoy Introducing Gertrude, Gumshoe. This hits all the tropes of the genre: single, female protagonist–check; quaint small town–check; multiple suspects and red herrings–check; no graphically described violence or sex–check. But, it feels like a story written to meet that checklist, and nothing more. Those looking for complex or appealing characters, a challenging puzzle to solve, excitement or intrigue, may find the pace plodding and the characters more irritating than interesting.