Mostly Murders

Every nation has secrets, myths, and legends attached to its founders.

Book 1 in the Indie Retirement Mystery series. A history focused mystery centered around the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, or the Meck Dec for short. To believers, the Meck Dec is proof that patriots in North Carolina declared independence from Great Britain in May 1775, more than a year before the official Declaration of Independence announced in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. To sceptics, it’s a hoax written after 1776. To this day, historicans disagree whether or not the Meck Dec actually existed, and if the founding fathers knew of its contents.

In Deadly Declarations by Landis Wade, the Meck Dec is a crucial part of the mystery concerning the death of The Professor, Matthew Collins, a resident of The Indie Retirement Community in Charlotte, North Carolina, a place filled with quirky characters, gossip and secrets.

Part cozy mystery full of heart with rowdy retirement home residents, part early US history lesson and part courtroom drama with an underdog retired lawyer reluctantly facing up against his former boss. Deadly Declarations is fun, intriguing and heartwarming, and unlike many other mysteries, it isn’t plotbased or characterfocused, but manages to incorporate both elements equally well, delivering a sharp, intricate plot as well as gripping character portraits and important messages of friendship, love and life.

Highly recommended for US history enthusiasts and readers with an interest in North Carolina and their possible role in American independence, and for anyone who enjoys positive, heartwarming stories, clever mysteries, legal thrillers and believes that life doesn’t end with retirement or old age.

I really enjoyed the story and I absolutely loved the characters at The Indie Retirement Community from the reckless NASCAR Nelli to the mysterious mafioso Maximiliano Esposito and of course the three main characters, Craig Travail, newcomer and struggling lawyer, the larger than life Chuck Yeager Alexander, and the intelligent and efficient Harriet Keaton. If I had to bet on any senior citizens to solve a 250 year old mystery and combat conspiracies and corruption, I would put my money on Craig, Yeager and Harriet any day of the week.

Mystery