The Body on the Roof - Book Review

Two early morning joggers did not expect to see the body on the roof. A murder-mystery, suspense novel by Kevin Creager, The Body on the Roof is a convoluted who-done-it set in small-town Summerfield, Ohio, a small Midwestern town with Midwestern values. A town where everyone knows everyone and the police department has had nothing exciting happen in ages.
A middle-aged, retired school teacher, whom everyone liked, is discovered on her roof in the rain, dead. Mrs. Grace  Mathison is known for asking for help to retrieve her cat from the roof. The soggy wet cat is with her, but there is evidence of head trauma. What happened? Why was she up there?

The author inserts humor as when he has the crime scene investigator state that to solve the case it would take MOM, their acronym for motive, opportunity, and means. “Pops” Peabody asks if he has anything for POPS. The investigator replies, “Perpetrator Outcome-Prison Sentence.” The character of Pops Peabody is indicative of the author’s writing style.

The most senior police officer, George Pops Peabody, “with a gray mustache, graying hair and the beginning of a paunch all giving away his age,” didn’t talk much but mostly listened. Everybody talked to him as he canvassed the neighborhood for clues. He “got halfway through the neighborhood with the hospitable offers of two cookies, a glass of homemade cider and a piece of the peach pie” but unfortunately with no information leading to solving the mystery of the body on the roof. Later he’s eating donuts, candy and reaching for a third piece of cheesecake that his wife moves out of his reach.  Also working on solving the case is Officer Martin “Bud” Addams, he is a junior police officer, but he takes the job very seriously and wants to solve the case as soon as possible.

Summerfield, Ohio had never witnessed a crime spree before, and their police force is determined to put an end to it as fast as possible. They go to work and In just 3 days this Andy Griffith type police department solves the crime, makes arrests and sets the town ablaze with the gossip and the shock of knowing some very respected citizens are a lot less honest than people would have believed them to be.

The Body on the Roof is a story told with such a deft hand that it will keep you guessing right to the very end, and all the while keeping you very entertained during the bewildering investigation for the wrongdoers.