Hard Road by Barbara D'Amato

I just finished reading one of the best Oz books I have read in a while. It is "Hard Road" by Barbara D'Amato and is basically a murder mystery style story taking place at an Oz festival in Chicago. Now kids don't worry the story takes place not in our beloved Chesterton but in Grant Park (which of course is made up) and involves our main charactor Cat Marsala a reporter. Other charcators of course include the two people killed in the story, Cat's nephew Jeremy and Cat's brother Barry who of course is one of the prime suspects.

I don't want to give the story away but it will keep you riveted to your seat like it did me and for those of us who are DIE HARD Oz fans there are many tips to Oz trivia. One example is that the first person killed carries the last name Plumly. Which of course is a salute to Oz author Ruth Plumly Thompson, but I didn't need to tell you that, huh?

I found my copy at my local second book shop Our Novel Idea which I have written about before and if I remember it right I got this very cheaply. If you have attended a festival, a fan of Oz and a lover of mystery this will be right up your alley. So go looking for it and let me know what you think once you have finished.