Title: Relief Valve
Series: Plumber’s Mate Mysteries: Book Two
Author: J.L. Merrow
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Length: 341 Pages
Category: Contemporary, Mystery
At a Glance: Excellent addition to this series, highly recommended!
Reviewed By: Lindsey
Blurb: If you dig up the past, be prepared for some dirt to stick.
The relationship between Tom Paretski, a cheeky plumber with a gift for finding hidden things, and PI Phil Morrison may only be a few weeks old, but already it’s under attack. Tom’s friends and family are convinced the former bully isn’t good enough for him, and they’re not shy about saying so.
Then Tom’s prickly older sister, Cherry, is poisoned at her own engagement party. Tom’s left reeling and not knowing who to suspect. Could it be her new fiancé, Gregory, a cathedral canon with an unfortunate manner and a taste for taxidermy? Or someone from her old writers’ circle, which she left after a row? Or could the attack be connected to her work as a barrister? Meanwhile, Tom’s honorary auntie’s left him a gag gift from beyond the grave that could be more significant than anyone knows.
Phil’s fighting against the clock to solve the case before somebody ends up dead. And with the poisoner hiding a dark secret, Phil’s terrified Tom could have been the target all along.
Publisher’s note: This is a lightly edited reprint of a previously published novel.
Review: The first book in the Plumber’s Mate series, Pressure Head, reeled me in, and Relief Valve hooked me completely. Tom continues to astound me, and I can’t get enough of his internal thoughts and observations. He captured me with his wittiness, and I wasn’t let down one bit in the second book.
This installment surrounds Cherry, Tom’s sister, who he is mildly estranged from. She enters dropping all kinds of drama into his life. Between the death of his sort-of aunt, and her last will and testament, and Cherry being poisoned, Tom has his hands full. The mystery surrounding the poisoner was intriguing and kept me glued—so many possible characters, and each with their own brand of crazy, some you can’t help but like, others you may hate, while some just make you scratch your head and wonder what the heck is up with them. I thoroughly enjoyed working through the clues uncovered to find the whodunnit. And, most importantly, the why.
Cherry and Tom’s relationship gives insight into other areas of Tom’s life and adds a lot of questions while also clarifying some of his behaviors and thoughts. Though there was obvious distance between the two, it was equally clear they share a special bond. Cherry’s more uptight and conservative personality clashes with Tom’s more brazen. They are opposite ends of the spectrum, yet oddly enough, they seem to get each other. I adore complex familial relationships, and this one delivered it in spades.
Tom and Phil are together, but Phil was still up in the air by the end of the first book for me. I wanted to like him, but he was still a mystery in many ways. It’s clear he adores Tom, but he was often closed off, and when he does let emotion slip through, it emerges as anger. Phil didn’t magically change here. Though there are little peeks into his inner turmoil, he still keeps a lot close to his chest, and it creates problems for him and Tom since their relationship is so new. And, their past still haunts their present in many ways. Though I am glad Phil was consistent and didn’t do a one-eighty, I’ll admit I had hoped for maybe a little more growth and not so much back and forth and misunderstandings. Phil handles many things solo and shuts Tom out a lot. It is a character trait that irks me. Also, its completely realistic. In fact, I happen to be married to a guy with the same way of dealing, which is probably why it drives me up a wall, because it is something I know well and struggle with. Just as Tom thinks he has a handle on where he and Phil are, he hits Phil’s wall. Tom’s reaction is to question Phil’s feelings and their relationship, he grabs on to his insecurities, and it festers. It makes for a great building of tension and totally kept me involved… and also made me want to bang my head against the wall since it’s frustrating.
For fans of Gary and Darren, they are back and adding just as much color and laughter as before. I honestly can’t get enough of Darren; his brash personality just tickles me to no end. The two of them bring so much dimension and comedic relief.
I adore this series and highly recommend it if you are looking for a fun mystery with great, quirky characters. Though I would advise to start with the first book; this is definitely a continuation, and the first book really sets the foundation of where everything is headed.
You can buy Relief Valve here:
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