Up to now, I have only read Maron's series staring Lieutenant Sigrid Harald which features a much grittier atmosphere. While there is sudden violence and a number of murders, the North Carolina setting seems to give an overall atmosphere that is gentler and more romantic.

Judge Knott has just married her life long love Sheriff's Deputy Dwight Bryant and life seems to be going well. Then Dwight receives a call from his 8 year old son that he needs him to show up at his school the next morning which entails a several hour drive. Once there he soon discovers that his ex-wife appears to have abandon his son and he begins a search for her. In a short time he finds her murdered and his son is missing and the hunt is on for the murder and kidnapper. A reasonably complicated plot kept this reader turning pages. ( )

Deborah and the Majorare married, one month, but still a team for solving mysteries. This one involves Major's former wife and son.as well a haunted mansion. ( )

The latest (as of mid-2007) in Margaret Maron's enjoyable Deborah Knotts series.

Now married, Deborah and Dwight face several challenges, including a murder Dwight must investigate in their small North Carolina town. While involved in that investigation, the pair find out that Dwight's ex-wife, Jonna (mother of his young son Cal) has gone missing. Dwight -- and eventually Deborah -- must travel to his ex-wife's hometown to search for Jonna, and soon, Cal as well.

Very enjoyable and suspenseful novel. ( )

Dwight Bryant recieves a call from his 8 year old son Cal and when he traveks ti hus home in Shaysville, Virginia Dwight discovers that Cal's mom is missing. Dwight's new wife Deborah Knott travels up to help when Cal also disappears. Meanwhile Dwights team in North Carolina is investigating the shooting of J.D. Rouse who was hot while driving. A suspensful read that kept me going wanting to know what had happened to Cal. ( )

I'm not sure I'd want to be driving on the roads in the fictional Colleton County of Deborah Knott. People tend to get shot on the roads while in their cars. That's how this book starts too. But, even though that's how the novel stars, the shooting is not the main mystery in the book. That is what's happened to Joanna, Dwight's ex-wife and their son Cal.

It's quite a chase around Joanna's hometown and Dwight and then, of course, Deb search for them. And interwoven is even more family history. This time Joanna's family, as well as Deb's thoughts on her impending step-motherhood.

I really liked how Maron wrote Cal. She seemed to write him with the right combination of youth and grownup-ness. On the other hand I was a little bummed that there were fewer court scenes, but, this book was about Dwight and Cal mostly, and Deb was more like a supporting character. And as long as it was only this novel and the series won't turn into the Dwight and Cal show, this was a great novel that definitely moved the characters' stories forward. ( )