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Written by Legal Record Webmaster   

By Earlene Fowler (Berkley 2011)

In this 15th book of the Benni Harper series, Fowler tries something different: There are no murdered bodies. Instead the ‘mystery’ to be solved is to find who is sniping at law officers. The first incident was meant to scare, and it did. But everyone hoped it was just a one-time thing, a prank. Then a policeman is seriously wounded, but manages to survive, and then everyone knew that someone had a vendetta against law enforcement.
Benni is married to San Celina’s chief of police, Gabriel Ortiz, and she’s more than a little worried. In a small town everyone knows everyone else, and the whole town is frightened.
Benni is also the director of the town’s art museum and the originator of the Coffin Star Quilt Guild which is quilting a ‘graveyard quilt’ which will be raffled off. Part of the design of the quilt is an old pattern called ‘Spider Web,’ hence the title of the book. The raffle drawing is to be held at the first annual ‘Memory Festival.’ (Incidentally, organizations and towns could get a good idea for a unique festival by reading the book.)
All the usual characters from past books are present and accounted for. Fowler does a good job of creating colorful, interesting people, and it’s not hard to keep them straight.
In addition, the shooting at the officers has triggered Gabe’s post traumatic shock syndrome, the solution of which is a big part of the book.
Spider Web earns the GCB* Seal of Approval.

*Good Clean Book