Dead Cow in Aisle Three

Susan Merskey is freelance writer in London, Ontario.

Polly Deacon, a cabin-dwelling puppet maker and dedicated sleuth, finds
herself designing a mascot for a new big-box store, despite the local
merchants’ vitriolic objections to the new development. When
allegations of municipal corruption arise, her sleuthing instincts come
to the fore, and when people start dying, she really allows them full
rein.

In this, her third Polly Deacon mystery, Malton paints a vivid picture
of life in small-town Ontario. She quietly pokes fun at social activists
such as members of the League for Social Justice. Her hints at municipal
corruption ring all too true, as do the twists and turns of family
relationships and the perceived effect of a new “big business” on
other small businesses. The book’s pace is too leisurely for a
mystery, but the twist at the end is well worth the wait.