Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsCold Missing Person Case, Possible Sighting of Tess’s ‘Deceased’ Father, and a Murdered Friend
Reviewed in the United States on March 12, 2019
The Saint Paddy’s Promise is the sixth in Kathi Daley’s Tess and Tilly Cozy Mystery series. The smooth writing style flows at a steady pace, the characters are well rounded and affable, and the storyline well plotted and interesting. As with all her books, Ms. Daley has provided readers with a clean, fun read, with caring and compassionate characters, an intriguing mystery to try to solve, and adorable dogs and cats. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading well-crafted cozy mysteries.
Tess Thomas works for the United States Postal Service and enjoys delivering the mail and visiting with the town’s residents and business owners on her route in the small community of White Eagle, Montana. In addition to being a mail carrier, Tess is an animal shelter volunteer and works closely with Brady Baker, the local veterinarian and shelter owner, to train and place animals with people who are a perfect match for them. Tess's brother, Mike, is a member of the White Eagle Police Department and is engaged to her best friend, Bree Price, the owner of the local bookstore, Book Boutique. Her mom and aunt co-own Sisters’ Diner. Her boyfriend, Tony Marconi, who is extremely skilled at locating information and has contacts around the world, is trying to help Tess solve the mystery surrounding her father who reportedly died in an accident when she was a teenager, but who they believe may still be alive.
Bree swore she wouldn’t turn into a Bridezilla, but as her June wedding day approaches and things aren’t going as she hoped, she’s driving Tess a little crazy. Tess is determined to be the best maid of honor and offers workable alternatives each time a problem arises. After working with Brady and the shelter dogs, Tess and her dog, Tilly, meet Jennifer Anne Claremont and her grandmother who are sitting on a park bench. After introducing themselves and chatting for a few minutes, Jennifer explained that her grandmother has made the trip to White Eagle on March 17 for the past sixty years. Intrigued, Tess asks why and Jennifer shares her grandmother’s love story: Elizabeth Bradford met Patrick O’Malley, and they fell in love but knew their families wouldn’t approve of their relationship. Patrick went back east to take care of some business and personal matters, promising to return on St. Patrick’s Day, and they agreed to meet at the bench in the park, but he never returned. When Jennifer is done, Tess is so moved that she volunteered Tony to try to find Patrick or at least figure out why he never returned. Tony, who has a facial recognition program that alerts him of possible sightings of Tess’s father, receives an image of a man he believes to be her dad at a truck stop in Billings, Montana. The news is exciting because this is the second time a real-time hit has been received and the first time it’s been in the US, but when two men claiming to be CIA agents arrive at Tony’s home looking for her dad, they become concerned. Tess not only struggles to try to decide if she should share the sighting with Mike but also if they should continue their search and possibly confront him or let it go. When Brick Brannigan, a local bar owner, is found murdered in his bar, Tess knows Mike wants her to stay away from the investigation, but Brick was a friend, and she just can’t stand back and do nothing even though she tells Tony she’d mind her own business this time.
