The Lovestruck Detective

A Big Muddy Mystery

Fiction - Mystery - Sleuth
272 Pages
Reviewed on 09/24/2019
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

A fan of mysteries since childhood—beginning with the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, then graduating to Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle, Dashiel Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Dorothy Sayers and P.D. James—it's not surprising that M.C. Anderson chose the mystery genre when he began writing his own novels.
During his career as a newspaperman, Anderson held various editing roles at The Kansas City Star, where he wrote an occasional column as well as news and feature stories. He worked on the editing and reporting staffs of The Bloomington (IL) Daily Pantagraph, The Kansas City Times and The Minneapolis Tribune.
He lives with his wife, artist Sandra Shaw, and their Shih Tzu in Thomasville in southern Georgia.

    Book Review

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

The Lovestruck Detective: A Big Muddy Mystery is a work of classic murder mystery fiction with a modern romantic twist, penned by author M. C. Anderson. This mystery begins, like most, with a body, and in this case, it’s a gay African-American man who happened to be the owner of an antique store in the hometown of environmentalist Jack Archer. Jack discovers the body and is soon asked if he will consult on the investigation by an older woman, a divorced lawyer. What follows is a series of twists and turns to solve the murder itself, but also a unique romance which develops between an unconventional pairing.

Author M. C. Anderson knows how to write really compelling mystery plots, but couples them with an intelligent eye for modern social behaviors and new, less conventional character types. Everyone in this town is well fleshed out to give a diverse view that takes us from backwaters right through to wealthy elites, and across all creeds and colors. Jack is a central anchor to the plot, and readers can grow and learn alongside him as he gets embroiled in a case that may be bigger than he can really handle. His romantic journey is also interesting and emotive, well connected to the situation he’s in, and his dialogue and actions really inform the sensitivity of the character without too much explicit use of feelings. Overall, The Lovestruck Detective is an intelligent but accessible mystery novel from a talented writer, one which is sure to surprise and delight its fans.

Lucinda E Clarke

The Lovestruck Detective by M. C. Anderson is a murder mystery set in a rural area in mid-Missouri, roughly halfway between Kansas City and St. Louis. The small town of Little Bend is shaken to the core by the murder and mutilation of a local man who was planning his wedding to his boyfriend the following weekend. Shortly after there is another murder and Charles, his love partner, is charged with both crimes. It falls to Sarah Jennings from a wealthy family in Kansas to defend him. In turn, she asks Jack Archer to investigate the case and, when both of them are threatened, to act as her bodyguard. When a fire destroys the antique shop owned by Charles and threats are sprayed around town, Sarah knows it is not going to be easy to prove Charles’ innocence, especially when those in high places may be involved.

M. C. Anderson’s The Lovestruck Detective begins innocently enough as the main character Jack Archer finds a dead body in the river. It maintains an even pace throughout and most of the loose ends are tied by the last page. One that is left open suggests there will be more books in the series. There are some interesting descriptions of nature around the Missouri River – Jack is an environmental graduate. The author paints clear pictures of the countryside and small-town living. He highlights rural prejudices, the problems with modern developments that destroy nature, and the greed of big business. A quick read on a rainy afternoon for lovers of detective novels.

Samantha Gregory

The Lovestruck Detective: A Big Muddy Mystery by M. C. Anderson tells the story of Jack Archer, an ecologist who finds a dead body in the river. It is the body of a local business owner and when a lawyer asks for Jack's help in finding out what happened, he soon finds himself falling for her. This was an interesting story, it is not your typical cop detective type story. Jack's job isn't typical, but it does reflect how certain jobs are not readily available and Jack has to get by in other ways. I do enjoy mysteries set in small towns because that is usually where people have the most secrets and there is plenty to unravel. It was different, but in a good way.

M. C. Anderson has written an engaging story in The Lovestruck Detective: A Big Muddy Mystery. It does deal with lesser covered topics and tries to find a balance. The author really paints a picture of the area and really brought it to life. It did look at some more taboo relationships and topics. Jack being in a relationship with an older woman is not something that you read about often, despite the fact that it is quite common. He also touches on the subject of racism, homophobia, and classism. There was a lot to digest, but the author has written it well and the characters are consistent. I would recommend it to mystery fans who are looking to read something a little bit different.