DEATH DROPS is not that easy to just state the point of. The
author emphasizes natural remedies and makes the better
points of these remedies known throughout the novel. In
fact, at times it may seem as if the book is more focused
upon these remedies than the mystery itself.
Willow finds her aunt dead on the floor, which may seem like
it could be anything from an accident to a murder. However,
Willow is convinced it is the latter as she can smell
something off under the natural scents her aunt used and had
on her. Willow resolves to solve the mystery of her aunt's
death, leading her into odd circumstances and people.
Willow's character was nice enough. She could have used a
little more developing in areas, but she was generally kind,
determined, and passionate about finding the potential
killer. The other characters could have been developed a tad
more as well, the reader may find them hard to connect to.
The events themselves were evenly paced. The reader should
not pick up this book if they are searching for a hardcore
or deep mystery; the mystery does not feel like the entire
or even most of focus in the book. By itself, DEATH DROPS is
a light read, good for picking up and finishing later on in
increments.
When a holistic doctor’s beloved aunt is murdered and the valuable recipe for her skin cream stolen, Dr. Willow McQuade must find the killer before he strikes again. Dr. Willow McQuade, N.D., a twenty-eight-year-old doctor specializing in natural remedies, has decided to take sabbatical and visit her Aunt Claire, the owner of Nature’s Way Market and Cafe in idyllic Greenport, Long Island. The idea of rest and relaxation is quickly forgotten when Willow arrives from a morning meditative walk to discover her Aunt Claire dead in the store, a strange almond-like smell emanating from her mouth and a bottle of flower essences by her side. Despite her Zen nature and penchant for yoga, Aunt Claire had a knack for getting into confrontations with folks. An activist, she held weekly meetings for different causes every week in the store. The police want to believe the death is accidental—but Willow thinks she may have been poisoned. Things get worse when Aunt Claire’s valuable recipe for a new natural age-defying formula, Fresh Face, is stolen during a store break-in, and an attempt is made on Willow’s life. Desperate for a way out of the mess, she turns to a handsome young cop Jackson Spade. Together the two set about solving the case the natural way—through a combination of hard work, common sense, and a dose of luck.