Review: Other People's Baggage - Various Authors

 

Review: Other People's Baggage - Various Authors - December 2012 

Losing your luggage can be an awful thing to have happen while you are on holiday, and I can tell you that from experience as my first trip overseas - my luggage and funnily happened in Dallas - the same location as the characters in this book had their connecting flight. However in this case, the missing luggage seems to be more like misplaced and mistaken luggage ID as the three characters all have the same vintage blue suitcase. 

Other People's Baggage is made up of three short stories from three different authors.

The first book was Midnight Ice where we met Madison Night whom was on her way to stay and get a break away in a smalltown famous for Doris Day as Madison is almost the spitting image of Doris herself and has based her life around Doris as her idol. Madison overhears a plan about "something" that is going to happen tonight at the hotel and she believes that she is in danger and seeks help from the hotel's security. What will happen though when she discovers that nobody is really who they say and that she has somehow landed herself in the middle of one of the biggest jewel heists ? If that wasn't bad enough Madison is on crutches from an injury, her ex-boyfriend has shown up at the hotel and she has ended up with luggage belonging to Elliot Lisbon.

The next story Switch Back features Elliot Lisbon who is the director for the Ballantyne Foundation which helps different charities around the states. They are often bequeathed monetary donations from people who are now deceased , but the strangest donation has hit the jackpot as the Ballantyne Foundation have been left an entire town right in the heart of Texas.  The thing though when they arrive isn't the happy welcome they had hoped for, in fact they are being threatened with a law suit if they don't back down as the two Ballantyne children Jolene and Kathy have plans on what to turn the town into. Jolene is all for a massive Christian Revival and Kathy wants a American Indian Casino. To add to further injury, the Matriach of the family has been arrested for the murder of her husband Austin. Now Elliot has to help solve the murder of Austin, save the wrong person from being jailed and sort of family feuds so that the Ballantyne Foundation aren't sued and on top of this Elliot who is a germaphobe is about to realise that she has someone else's luggage - Jaya Jones.

The last story Fool's Gold features Archaelogist and History Professor Jaya Jones who is currently holidaying in England as one of her friends has a Magician show to perform and the other is an antiques dealer and is showing a rare piece for their show. What will happen though when the rare piece goes missing from their hotel room safe and the prime suspects are her friends as they are accused of stealing the piece to achieve insurance fraud ? Out of all the stories , this one I found to be a little slow for my liking but I did love how Jaya Jones was a bit of a tamer version of Rogue Hunter and Indiana Jones and the magician touch of illusions gave the book a little edge. Can Jaya Jones who shares her name with the famous Indy solve the crime and save the day and to give the collection a rounded edge , Jaya has picked up Madison's luggage.

 If you love cozy mysteries, then Other People's Baggage and Henery Press are the book and publishing company for you.