This is a wonderful mystery with engaging characters that are neither stereotypes nor caricatures. Lillian Morgan is a retired professor living in the Silver Acres retirement community, but she is definitely not your typical retiree. When she receives a phone call from Mark, her granddaughter's boyfriend, telling her that he is being accused of the sexual harassment and rape of one of his students, Lillian refuses to stand idly by. With the help of her would-be suitor Wesley, Lillian begins to investigate the charges despite her own granddaughter's doubts about Mark's innocence.
When the student is found dead, Mark becomes the police's number one suspect for her murder. Soon, things become even more complicated when Lillian discovers that the woman may have a murky past of her own. Lillian's investigation leads her into the politically cut-throat world of academic politics as well as into strip bars and the lives of strippers (which Lillian finds quite fascinating).
Lillian is an entertaining and witty character who doesn't come off as either a cutesy grandmother type or a spoof of a hip and with-it senior citizen. She is likeable and admirable and doesn't put up with the condescension the elderly often receive. Alan Cook as well explores the backlash of sexual harassment investigations that seem to unfairly prosecute the suspects and leaves them with little chance of proving their innocence.
I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery, which follows the first of the Lillian Morgan series, THIRTEEN DIAMONDS. I look forward to the next by Alan Cook and the continuation of this entertaining series.
