Book Review: Skeleton Key

Skeleton Key by Jane Haddam was a satisfying mystery read. Haddam's Armenian-American detective, Gregor Demarkian, leaves his native Philadelphia for the rich Connecticut suburbs to help solve the murder of a poor, little rich girl. The sub-story involving Gregor's relationship with his girlfriend, Bennis, is almost more interesting than the mystery (or, mysteries, as it turns out). I love how Haddam follows the character's trains of thought. It is so much like how people think in real life--people's thoughts just are, they don't always make sense or even follow any seeming logic. Haddam captures that very well and, in so doing, helps us understand her characters better. Good characterization is one of the hallmarks, in my mind, of excellent writers. Haddam succeeds admirably in doing this.