Jeanne Reviews: Murder at St. Winifred’s Academy by J.D. Griffo

Tranquility, New Jersey hasn’t been all that tranquil.  Good thing that Alberta Ferrara and her family are there to investigate and clear things up, in between trying flavors of vodka, eating Entenmann’s cakes and Italian dishes, and yelling at one another.  This time around, Tranquility is all agog over the arrival of former child star Missy Michaels who is about to make her acting comeback on the town’s stage in a revival of “Arsenic and Old Lace.” Unfortunately, before she tread the boards, Missy is found dead backstage, clutching a bottle of arsenic.  Is it a dramatic suicide—or murder?

This is the fifth in the series of the Ferrara Family Mystery series, and it pretty much follows the same formulas as the others.  Center stage is Alberta, accompanied by her granddaughter Jinx, sister Helen (who really was a Sister—as in nun), and sister-in-law Joyce, who will investigate and solve the crimes that leave town cop Vinnie scratching his head. While formulaic, the series does have its moments, especially in the dialog between Helen, Joyce, and Alberta.  I have laughed out loud at some of the lines, and the author does do a really good job of creating a vivid backstory and filmography for Missy Michaels.  I know that sounds a bit odd, but by taking bits and pieces from various real film series, he describes a fictional series that seems so very familiar that I was half tempted to look it up in imdb.com.  (There’s a graphic novel, Child Star by Box Brown, which does the same thing.  It’s excellent.) Griffo has a background in drama, including writing screenplays, so he knows his way around a stage.

There are some clunky passages and occasionally the plot spins a bit out of control.  Also, characters tend to yell, announce, scream, shriek, and shout. There’s an information dump near the end. Some readers have felt that the Italian characters are too stereotypical.

Personally, I had a lot of fun with these.  I don’t worry too much about plot and just enjoy the back and forth between the Alberta, Joyce, and Helen.  Helen in particular is very opinionated and not afraid to speak her mind.  She also has a strong sense of self-worth. I would pay money to have seen her in this production of Arsenic and Old Lace, with or without Missy Michaels.

Of course, there is a cat:  Lola, aka Gina Lollobrigida.

The books in the series are:

Murder on Memory Lake

Murder in Tranquility Park

Murder at Icicle Lodge

Murder at Veronica’s Diner

Murder at St. Winifred’s Academy

Murder at the Mistletoe Ball