To put herself in a less stressful situation, Hannah decides to visit her husband’s sister, who is an artist of sorts living on her family’s rural homestead. As a favor to her sister-in-law, Connie, Hannah offers to walk her elderly dog. While trekking through the woods, Colonel takes off and starts barking wildly at a boarded-up well. Hannah investigates and sees what appears to be human body parts. Frantic, she races back to Connie’s house to call 911.

The body is eventually identified as Katie Dunbar, a local high school student, who disappeared about eight years previously. Fueled by the dual purposes of feeling an obligation to Katie’s killer since she had found her body, and a need to keep her mind occupied to minimize her obsession with her own problems, Hannah decides to investigate, without the blessing of the local police.

Marcia Talley’s first novel is a commendable addition to the cozy/amateur sleuth mystery category. The plot is plausible, with enough action to keep the reader turning pages. The reader can easily empathize with Hannah who does not sit around feeling sorry for herself. Connie, while a bit scatterbrained is compassionate, yet demanding. The rest of the cast of characters are not so well developed, but are not so stereotypical that they are boring. There are several potential candidates for the title of murderer, and it is not immediately obvious who actually carried out the dastardly deed.

Generally, Ms. Talley presents plausible reasons for Hannah to be in the right place at the right time to discover evidence or have conversations with people who give her vital facts. But when Hannah goes to the local doctor to have her arm checked after almost falling off a boat, a totally incongruous situation arises.. She is concerned that she must wait in the waiting room with sick people. Her immunity is nonexistent since her chemotherapy. Yet after realizing the doctor may have information valuable to her investigation and that his receptionist is ill, Hannah volunteers to help him out! She has just said she was concerned about being around sick people.

For readers who like to learn bits about diverse subjects, this book provides ample ammunition. Several of the characters own sailboats and information is given about the general construction of sailboats as well as general sailing instructions. As breast cancer plays a prominent role in Hannah’s life, the author presents an adequate description of the treatment of the disease, both surgical and chemical, in addition to the emotional impact breast cancer has on both the patient and her family.

As a first effort, Marcia Talley has done an admirable job in Sing it to her Bones.

--Andy Plonka