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Arly Hanks, chief of police of Maggody, Arkansas (population 755) is having an enjoyable spring day looking through seed catalogs when the crazy events that seem to be the norm in Maggody catch up with her. Ruby Bee's (Arly's mother) Bar and Grill has a kitchen fire. Duluth Buchanon's ex-wife leaves town and takes her children with her. Mrs. Jim Bob (the mayor's wife) is taking the youth group from The Voice of the Almighty Lord Assembly Hall to spend a week at Camp Pearly Gates. She needs a chaperon for the teenage girls in the group and Arly is just the person for the job. Arly isn't looking forward to chaperoning all the raging hormones, but she can't say no to the mayor's wife. After arriving at Camp Pearly Gates, one of the teenagers announces to Arly that she has found the body of an alien. The alien turns out to be a woman with a shaved head, wearing a long white robe and magenta lipstick. She's been murdered by a vicious blow to the back of the head. The woman is a member of a cult of women called the Daughters of the Moon, or Beamers. Arly finds herself investigating the murder with little or no help from local law enforcement. MAGGODY AND THE MOONBEAMS is a quick, easy read filled with wacky, independent characters and outlandish events. Hess shows her skill as a writer with her ability to weave all the various events and people into one cohesive whole. This novel is a deeply observant satirical study of cults and life in a small southern town. The mystery is well done with a healthy dose of humor. In fact, I found the humor too slapstick-like, one sentence after another, and a bit too much for me. Hess is the author of 14 Maggody novels and a winner of the Macavity Award.
Reviewed by Lane Wright, February 2004
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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