The third in Elizabeth Buzzelli’s Little Library series, In Want of a Knife has all the bells and whistles of a cozy mystery, but underneath the trappings this is not an especially cozy book. The series, in which each book pays homage to a different literary classic, centers on Jenny Wilson, her mother, Dora, and their neighbor, Zoe Zola, a famous writer. As the book opens, the man delivering papers in tiny, rural Bear Falls, Michigan, discovers the body of a teenage girl on the side of the road. When another teenager, Cammy, disappears, Jenny, Dora, and Zoe all pitch in to help find her.
Zoe is writing about Jane Austen, and the mystery is structured somewhat along the lines of Pride and Prejudice. In a nod to Austen, the book is salted with several local women on the hunt for a husband, including Jenny, who seems confused about her relationship with the dashing Tony, a former cop. What’s more, the new wealthy neighbor’s house is named Rosings, of course.
Jane Austen was nothing if not a penetrating observer of human behavior, and Buzzelli is one as well, with her observations often taking the form of humor. The modern woman has more options in life than a Jane Austen character, after all. Or does she? Zoe, who is a “little person,” is often dismissed because of her size, but is usually the most perceptive person in the room, though she is frequently quite literally overlooked. In this she shares a long history in mystery fiction, joining fluffy old ladies like Miss Marple, Miss Silver, and even Jessica Fletcher as an underestimated force to be reckoned with.
In the same way, the missing girl, Cammy, has been dismissed by many of her classmates and neighbors as different and strange, though it seems she is every bit as smart as Zoe, just tragically innocent in the ways of the world. The detective work to find Cammy is shared by the community, but it’s Zoe and her friends who have the breakthrough that solves the case.
This book was an enjoyable mix of suspense, character development, setting (the Northern Michigan woods are lovingly described), and well-assembled story. There were surprises at every turn, as well as challenges to the reader’s perception of events and people. In reading, I love a surprise as much as I love a memorable character, and this novel has plenty of both.
