The Skeleton Makes a Friend

The Skeleton Makes a Friend (2018) Leigh Perry (Family Skeleton Mystery #5)

Another semester, another college, but this time Georgia is teaching at a summer program for high school students.

If I’d been able to afford it, I would have tried to talk Madison into signing up for the program. She’d just finished her sophomore year, which meant it was past time to start planning for college. Unfortunately, the program cost more than what I was making for teaching.

This time the murder turns out to be someone Sid knows–a friend he made online, and another player for the game wants Sid to help her find.

“I made up a game name and everything. Skalle is Swedish for skull, and Beinagrind is Icelandic for skeleton. Nobody would ever get my real name out of that. And even if they did, it wouldn’t matter. Sid Thackery doesn’t show up on any census, phone listings, utility bills, car titles, nothing. And sure, I do use a picture of a skeleton as my character’s sigil, but it’s not an actual picture of me.”

“Sid, would it have made a difference if you had used an actual picture of yourself?”

Although the term is never used (and it doesn’t have to be) the teen girl who wants Sid’s help is pretty clearly autistic.

I looked at her, but she was completely serious. “You’re unusually conscientious.”

“People tell me that, but I don’t understand what they mean. My not understanding people happens a lot. That’s probably why I don’t make friends easily. Some people say I’m a nerd.”

But Georgia’s daughter ends up becoming friendly with her, as they both game (and there is a discussion about how females are treated in gaming culture–primarily because two of the gamers are teen girls).

Interestingly, although it’s clear that the state of continually being an adjunct professor is lousy, most of the academics Georgia has worked with in these two books have been lovely.

He leaned forward. “You and I haven’t spoken much, but given past events, I did want to make sure that this incident hasn’t triggered any disturbing memories for you.”

I hadn’t expected that, and I was touched. “I’m fine.”

“I know you’re only in Overfeld temporarily, so I was worried you might not have an adequate support system.”

It’s also clear the Georgia enjoys teaching, even if the adjunct system is lousy.

And there were some interesting elements–apparently this is the first time Sid has known the murder victim, so it’s his first death (he has led a sheltered life for obvious reasons).

Also, there were fun little peeks at academia.

It was an interoffice envelope, the resealable kind with a button and string closure and rows of lines so you could reuse it repeatedly, though my name was the only one written on this one. In the age of emails and texts, I rarely saw them anymore.

I might have one of those floating around my office.

So another enjoyable mystery, and I’m glad I’m mixing things up and alternating series. Hopefully that will keep me from getting burned out.

Characters: Sid / Skalle Beinagrind, Georgia Thackery, Madison Thackery, Jen Cater-Brame, Judy Cater, Mo Heedles, Neil Farmer / Erik Bloodaxe, Valentin Fernandez, Heath Ridley, Charles Peyton, Treva Youngblood, Paul, Zach, Heath Ridley, Lisa Quinn, Chief Bezzat, Walker Schild, Bakshi

Publisher: Diversion Books

Rating: 8/10

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