An excellent story, THE SIREN OF SOLACE GLEN packs enough exposition into the first chapter that readers unfamiliar with Solace Glen may find themselves holding their heads with dismay. However, James does a wonderful job of making newcomers feel comfortable with the various twists and turns of daily life as soon as possible.

Flip Paxton decides to do some amateur sleuthing, much to the dismay of Tom, her lawyer fiancé, when one of Tom's old flames is being stalked and comes to him for help. Although the mystery behind the stalking, underhanded business deals, and illicit deals of another stripe are interesting, many other plot points emerge to titillate the reader: the narrator's familial relationship to a wealthy family of the town, the return of a couple who are irritating beyond measure, Tom's random poetry-spouting, gossipy neighbors, a hermit-like writer, a feud between a sexton and a radio DJ and a dog auction.

THE SIREN OF SOLACE GLEN speeds by with much excitement from threads of the plot. This is a fabulous book to read if you've ever lived in, or wish you lived in, a small town where everyone knows everyone else's secrets -- they think.