Murder of Environmental Activists
While it can be frustrating to start a series when there are already multiple books published, the joy comes from being able to revisit the characters again soon after finishing the previous entry. That’s how I felt when I sat down to enjoy Harm Not the Earth, the fourth in Liz Milliron’s Laurel Highlands Mysteries.
The series features an unlikely duo. Jim Duncan is a Pennsylvania State Trooper who has been given the latitude to pursue some of the cases he encounters while on patrol. Meanwhile, Sally Castle is an Assistant Public Defender. Not only are the duo friends who have solved some cases together, they have also recently started dating, which can make things tricky when their personal and professional lives collide.
As this book opens, Jim and Sally follow up on a report and find a dead body in their off hours. Since the death is outside of Jim’s normal patrol area, the man who takes on the case doesn’t welcome his help. But Jim becomes even more determined to figure out what is going on when he realizes he knew the victim, having volunteered with his environmental organization. Then a second victim turns up. Sally jumps in to help, hoping to make sure things are resolved before Jim gets into too much trouble. Can they determine what is going on?
While I didn’t know who the victim would be when I picked up the book, I wasn’t surprised when the potential motives included environmental issues. The title of the book was a pretty big clue. I was very happy with how it was handled. We didn’t get lectures, and most of the characters professed to have a balanced view of things - wanting to use resources or let others enjoy without destroying nature. Of course, some might be lying and there is disagreement over what the best ideas are. This is a mystery, after all. But, again, we don’t get lectures, and this isn’t the only motive Jim and Sally uncover.
All this to say the plot kept me engaged. We had some good, well-developed suspects and a few good twists that took me by surprise. I’d zeroed in on the culprit a little early, but not too early, and I was still intrigued to see if I was right and how they were going to prove it.
Unfortunately, there were some timeline snags in this book. Nothing that impacted the logic of the story, but still things that bugged this timeline guy.
This isn’t a cozy, and the content is a little beyond that sub-genre as a result. But as long as you keep that in mind, you’ll be fine.
Since Jim and Sally have just started dating, they are still figuring out their relationship and how their professional lives are going to impact it. I appreciated the natural progression of things here and how that built on the previous book. And they both face some professional decisions, which I also enjoyed watching them work through.
I already have the next in this series waiting for me to pick it up. I’m looking forward to seeing where the characters go after Harm Not the Earth.
Enjoy the rest of the Laurel Highlands Mysteries.
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