Murder Among the Pines

By John Lawrence Reynolds

Small-town police chief Maxine "Max" Benson is just settling into her new life when her ex appears on the scene. Apparently, he and his new young lover just happen to be visiting her area on holiday. Max left her marriage and the Toronto police to become chief in Port Ainslie, where she runs a three-person department with few problems and enjoys a different pace of life. That's all about to change when Max's ex-husband is accused of killing his young lover right in Max's own backyard. It seems that only Max's superior detection abilities can save him from an almost certain conviction.

This is the third book in the Maxine Benson mystery series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
• Release date: Mar 13, 2018
• ISBN: 9781459818217

John Lawrence Reynolds

John Lawrence Reynolds is the author of more than two dozen works of fiction and non-fiction. He has previously written six mystery novels—most recently, Beach Strip—and is a two-time winner of the Arthur Ellis Award (for The Man Who Murdered God and Gypsy Sins). His many non-fiction books include Leaving Home, Free Rider (winner of the National Business Book Award), The Naked Investor and Bubbles, Bankers & Bailouts. Shadow People, his bestselling book on secret societies, has been published in sixteen countries. A former president of the Crime Writers of Canada, he lives in Burlington, Ontario. Visit him online at johnlawrencereynolds.com.

Book preview

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Reviews for Murder Among the Pines

[vesper1931 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Maxine Benson is the police chief of Port Ainslie. Then one weekend her ex-husband arrives with his latest girlfriend. Only for the girlfriend to be found dead and Jim Benson the prime suspect.
A reasonably simple and quickly solved mystery.
A NetGalley Book

[paradiseporch · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

#3 in Maxine Benson seriesMaxine Benson is the recently hired police chief of a three-person department in Port Ainslie Ontario. She left her marriage and the Toronto police to take the position.In this instalment, Max's ex-husband and his new girlfriend 'happen' to drop into town. When the girlfriend is murdered, and the ex accused, it's up to Max to prove him innocent. it was 'okay', but nothing special.Small pages (7.5" x 4.75") and a large font, double-spaced, mean that the 150 page story reads very quickly. I suspect it's aimed at the YA market. I received a paperback copy of this book free through the Library Things Early Reviewers program.

[gypsysmom_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

These rapid reads are designed for adult literacy learners to give them something easy to read but with adult content. I have now read a number of them which all seem to be written by established writers and are usually about characters they have developed in full length books. I haven't read any other Maxine Benson mysteries but she seems to be an interesting character. She used to be a cop in Toronto but after her divorce from a fellow cop she moved to cottage country to become the chief of police. One day her ex-husband showed up with a much younger girlfriend. Maxine was upset but when the girlfriend's body was discovered in the lake and her ex was charged with her murder she wasn't so upset that she didn't want to see him cleared. Even though the OPP had official handling of the case Maxine was determined to solve the murder. Her ex-husband is very thankful she is on the case.

[brianewilliams · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is a cozy murder mystery story set in the idyllic cottage country north of Toronto. I received an advance reading copy of the book from the publisher via LIbraryThing Early Reviewers. The views expressed below are my own.Small town police chief Maxine Benson encounters her former husband Jim with his new trophy girlfriend in her town for a visit. This meeting does not go well as the girlfriend rudely dismisses Maxine. Not to worry though because by the next morning the bimbo is dead and the ex-husband is the chief suspect. Maxine is forced out of the police investigation by the Ontario Provincial Police but, with a belief that Jim is not the killer, she continues to look into the murder. Using her police detective skills acquired from her time as a Toronto police officer, she follows some clues ignored by the OPP.It's a well-plotted puzzle story, not complicated by too many characters or red herrings. It's an easy entertaining read with a satisfactory ending. Maxine is of course the star of the show: an intelligent and resourceful police officer. She stands her ground against the overbearing OPP sergeant, who dismisses her efforts on the grounds they have their killer. Is he lazy or stupid, or both? This story continues the series that has two previous books and can easily be read as a standalone. There's several recurring characters that add colour to the story and serve as support for Maxine. When will we get a full Maxine Benson novel?This is recommended read.

[drsyko_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book offers a quick and fun mystery. A local cop (Maxine) runs into her ex-husband and his new girlfriend. This isn't a happy reunion. When the girlfriend ends up dead, and the ex is accused of her murder, Maxine feels she must try to prove his innocence, since even though she's angry at him, she doesn't believe he committed the crime. There is some smart dialog and the murderer is not predictable. There's even some humor. The plot is clever and there are some intriguing characters. This was a good afternoon read.

[edgoldberg · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Murder Among the Pines is an easy to read murder mystery. Maxine Benson, chief of police in Port Ainslie, Canada, is called one morning because of a dead body floating in the river. All major cases must ultimately be handed off to regional police, as is done in this case. Fregional police assume the locals are bumbling idiots. Unfortunately, it is her ex-husband, Jim, a former policeman, who is accused of the crime and arrested. However badly their marriage ended, Max still has a connection to Jim and is out to prove his innocence. At a scant 149 pages, Murder Among the Pines, sports a good plot and interesting characters. It's a worthy read.

[lewilliams-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Ontario Provincial Police believe that Jim Benson is guilty of killing his young lady partner. Jim's ex-wife Max, Chief of Police in Ainsile, sets out to prove the OPP has the wrong man in this quick read mystery. I enjoyed this third book in the Maxine Benson series.

[kaulsu · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Five stars??! Yes, because it is very good for what it purports to be. It is listed as “adult fiction—ages 16+,” and that is a fairly accurate description. Personally, I would say 14+, but there may be ALA standards to meet. It is also an excellent book for adults with low reading skills, or non-English speaking adults, learning to read in English.LT lists it as a “Rapid Read,” and that it is. I’m no speed reader: it took me an hour, maybe a smidgen less.

[cmbohn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I got this one from Early Reviewers for free in exchange for an honest but fair review. My opinion remains my own.Police chief Max Benson is busy enough with the summer visitors to her sleepy Canadian town, but when her ex-husband becomes the chief suspect in a murder investigation, she might have to clear up her schedule. This was a very quick read. The ending was not really a surprise, but if you like mysteries, I think you'd like this. Perfect for beginning readers. It is the third in the series, but that didn't keep me from enjoying it.

[candyh_64 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I thank LibraryThing for allowing me to read this book. It was a fast read because it was rather a silly mystery and there was not too much to the story. A Canadian police chief ends up finding a young woman’s killer when her superiors are unwilling to look past the Chief’s ex-husband. The book is ok if you are looking for a quick read.

[tatoosh-3 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was provided with an advanced reading copy of Murder Among the Pines by the publisher. I was asked to provide a copy of my review if I chose to write one.The body of a young girl is found early one morning floating in the lake behind the Ainslie Inn and Police Chief Maxine (Max) Benson quickly determines that she was beaten and then drowned. Port Ainslie is a small town north of Toronto and provincial regulations require that the Ontario Provincial Police take charge of the investigation. The investigating sergeant immediately concludes that Jim Benson, Max’s ex-husband, is the murderer. He makes it clear that he is not interested in any evidence to the contrary. His not very subtle message to Max is to “butt out.” The exclusion of Max from the investigation and suspicion of her former husband create a clear conflict of interest. This the third book in the Maxine Benson Rapid Reads Mystery series but it can be enjoyed without reading the earlier works. However, readers who desire to know more about Max’s background and her situation in Port Ainslee will want to check out the first two books in the series. Rapid Reads books are ¼ to 1/3 the length of a novel. They are intended for ESL students, adults who struggle with literacy, and other readers who want a book they can finish in a single day. I fall into the latter category. It is a pleasure to be able to read the entire book in a single afternoon.The mystery confronting Max in this book differs from that in the first two books. In “A Murder for Max” six local residents had both a motive and the opportunity to commit the murder. Numerous local characters appeared in “Murder Below Zero” but none are especially suspicious. One must be guilty but which one? In both of these books Reynolds drops subtle clues that give readers a fair chance to solve the murder. In “Murder Among the Pines,” however, Jim Benson is the only additional character until close to the end. Once the guilty person makes an appearance the challenge for Max and readers is to figure out how to obtain evidence that will convince the skeptical OPP sergeant in charge of the case.I enjoyed each of the books in this series but I also see a marked improvement as this series has progressed. “A Murder for Max” relied too heavily on narrative while in “Murder Among the Pines” Reynolds skillfully integrates narrative and dialogue. The pace of the story is also much crisper. I recommend “Murder Among the Pines” to readers who would like an interesting murder mystery they can read in a single afternoon.

[delphimo_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is a Canadian mystery set around Toronto in Port Ainslie with Maxine "Max" Benson as the police chief in this tourist center. In this installment, Max must assist her ex-husband in proving his innocence in a murder charge. The novel is very short, more like a novella, but the story unfolds nicely. Lawrence Reynolds needs to develop his characters more thoroughly, he starts with great characters, but does not give them personality and emotions. The setting falls under the truck but has the ability to fully recover with more description.