Designated Daughters

by Margaret Maron Narrated by Margaret Maron

Overview

When Judge Deborah Knott is summoned to her ailing Aunt Rachel's bedside, she assumes the worst. Thankfully when she arrives at the hospice center she learns that Rachel hasn't passed; in fact, the dying woman is awake. Surrounded by her children, her extended family, and what seems like half of Colleton County, a semi-conscious Rachel breaks weeks of pained silence with snippets of stories as randomly pieced together as a well-worn patchwork quilt. But the Knott family's joy quickly gives way to shock: less than an hour later, Aunt Rachel is found dead in her bed, smothered with a pillow.


Who would kill a woman on her deathbed? Was it an act of mercy, or murder? As Deborah and her husband, Sheriff's Deputy Dwight Bryant, investigate they cross paths with an unlikely set of suspects: Rachel's longtime minister; her neighbor, the respected local doctor; the friendly single father who often sought her advice; and perhaps the most puzzling party of all, the Designated Daughters, a support group for caregivers that Rachel's own daughter belongs to.


Soon Deborah and Dwight realize that the key to solving this case is hidden in Rachel's mysterious final words. Her mixed-up memories harbored a dark secret-a secret that someone close to them is determined to bury forever.

Editorial Reviews

OCTOBER 2014 - AudioFile

Maron is not only an excellent mystery writer but also an excellent narrator. Her slight Southern drawl perfectly presents the list of suspects in this mystery. Judge Deborah Knott's Aunt Rachel is found smothered in her hospital bed. As Deborah and her husband, Sheriff's Deputy Dwight Bryant, investigate the many folks who visited Rachel that day, Maron portrays Rachel's longtime minister, neighbors, the local doctor, and the "designated daughters" with aplomb. Dwight's ever present common sense keeps Deborah from jumping to conclusions. Maron's folksy narration adds atmosphere and warmth to this carefully plotted mystery. Intriguing characters and thought-provoking scenarios result in an outstanding production. Maron's narrating voice shines as brightly as her literary one. S.C.A. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

Publishers Weekly

★ 06/09/2014
In MWA Grand Master Maron’s outstanding 19th mystery featuring judge Deborah Knott of North Carolina’s Colleton County (after 2012’s The Buzzard Table), Deborah’s elderly aunt, Rachel Morton, lies near death in a hospice. Rachel attracts a crowd of friends and relatives as she talks of “babies, fires, and unpaid debts, of someone who beat his wife and of cowbirds and vegetables and broken jars.” A distraction allows a killer enough time to slip into Rachel’s room and smother her with a pillow, thus ending her ramblings, which apparently concealed deadly secrets. Unraveling those secrets—some 60 years old—is a slow, difficult process with lots of suspects among friends and family. Maron achieves a delicate balance as she explores differences between mistakes, sins, and crimes, and shows that justice is not always arrived at by conventional means. Humor (e.g., Deborah outfoxes an unscrupulous auctioneer) and social issues (e.g., the difficult role of caregivers to the elderly) add to the warmth of a large family with all its foibles, squabbles, and quirks. Five-city author tour. Agent: Vicky Bijur, Vicky Bijur Literary. (Aug.)

From the Publisher

"Smartly written"—The New York Times on The Buzzard Table

"As always, Maron skillfully layers an absorbing plot with the doings of Deborah's large extended family and the domestic details of their semirural lifestyle. In addition, the contrast between Deborah, who is warm and caring, and Sigrid, who is reserved and cerebral, gives Maron's tale added depth."—Booklist on The Buzzard Table

"Maron...adroitly melds ugly American (open) government secrets with classic whodunit intrigue and stirs the pot by itemizing domestic travails that will touch readers' hearts."—Kirkus Reviews on The Buzzard Table

"In Maron's intriguing 18^th Deborah Knott mystery...Maron successfully combine a look at family foibles and relationships with a series of moral choices that challenges the characters' sense of law and justice."—Publishers Weekly on The Buzzard Table

"This book has plenty of suspense and the characters are well done. One of Ms. Maron's strengths is the believability of her characters. They add to the story and don't distract the reader with useless red herrings. As usual, the interplay between Dwight and Deborah is wonderfully romantic even in the midst of a murder. I have to say that I will be glad to see them back home in the next book. I just love the family dynamics and the southern ambiance in these books. Can't wait for the next book in the series!!"——- imainlinefiction.blogspot.com on THREE-DAY TOWN

"Dwight's obsession with New York gourmet delights and Deborah's passion for stylish, impractical footwear are charming, but Sigrid's slow but steady police work carries the day. Fans who have hankered for Deborah and Sigrid to find themselves in the same story will be charmed."—Kirkus on THREE-DAY TOWN

"This is a strong addition to a series that's won Edgar, Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards."—Publishers Weekly on THREE-DAY TOWN

"[Maron] plots like a modern-day Christie, but the North Carolina charm is all her own."—Kirkus on CHRISTMAS MOURNING

"Warm and authentic family relationships are the heart of this evergreen series."—Publishers Weekly on CHRISTMAS MOURNING

"[A] winning entry and a fine holiday mystery."—Booklist on CHRISTMAS MOURNING

"There's nobody better."—Chicago Tribune

"Every Margaret Maron is a celebration of something remarkable."—New York Times Book Review

New York Times Book Review

"Every Margaret Maron is a celebration of something remarkable."

Chicago Tribune

"There's nobody better."

Booklist on CHRISTMAS MOURNING

"[A] winning entry and a fine holiday mystery."

--- imainlinefiction.blogspot.com on THREE-DAY TOWN

"This book has plenty of suspense and the characters are well done. One of Ms. Maron's strengths is the believability of her characters. They add to the story and don't distract the reader with useless red herrings. As usual, the interplay between Dwight and Deborah is wonderfully romantic even in the midst of a murder. I have to say that I will be glad to see them back home in the next book. I just love the family dynamics and the southern ambiance in these books. Can't wait for the next book in the series!!"

Booklist on The Buzzard Table

"As always, Maron skillfully layers an absorbing plot with the doings of Deborah's large extended family and the domestic details of their semirural lifestyle. In addition, the contrast between Deborah, who is warm and caring, and Sigrid, who is reserved and cerebral, gives Maron's tale added depth."

The New York Times on The Buzzard Table

"Smartly written"

Library Journal

★ 08/01/2014
When Judge Deborah Knott gets a call from the convalescent home about her Aunt Rachel, she expects to hear the worst. She arrives to find her aunt awake and telling stories from her past, including some that are new to Deborah. Yet within hours Rachel is dead, and it is obvious that she was murdered. While Deborah and her husband, sheriff's deputy Dwight Bryant, investigate, her family becomes embroiled in a dispute with a dirty antiques dealer. Alternating viewpoints between Deborah and Dwight, Maron weaves family threads together with current events that leave the reader wanting to know more about the Knott family tree. VERDICT The author's 19th series outing (after The Buzzard Table) offers loyal fans a fresh look at her expansive family and community. Readers will savor the slow-paced Southern culture and layered story. Maron was named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America in 2013. [See Prepub Alert, 2/10/14.]

Product Details

BN ID:	2940173832559
Publisher:	Hachette Audio
Publication date:	08/12/2014
Series:	Deborah Knott Series , #19
Edition description:	Unabridged

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