Review – The Fever Cabinet by Frankie Bow

It is terrific to have Frankie Bow back here on this blog. This time with book nine of her Professor Molly Mysteries, “The Fever Cabinet.” Catch my review further down then scroll to the Book Blast section to click the big red button for your chance to win a Professor Molly Mystery of your choice.

About The Book:

The Fever Cabinet (Professor Molly Mysteries Book 9) by Frankie Bow

An abandoned hospital, an antique contrivance, and a very modern murder . . .

All Professor Molly wanted to do was teach literature. Instead she’s just been named chair of her department at Mahina State University, and her department has been relocated to a run-down former asylum. She’s buried in paperwork and her dean has assigned her to mentor the department’s new “star”, the prickly Fiona Spencer.

Fiona Spencer had her own reasons for relocating from Oxford to join the faculty at remote Mahina State University. She is willing to put up with the broken air conditioning and constant construction noise in the College of Commerce building (formerly the Territorial Inebriates’ Asylum). She can even tolerate her annoying department head, Molly Barda. But when she finds a body in her office, clamped into an antique medical device, it’s all a bit much. Especially when she becomes a murder suspect.

Now Fiona and Molly have to work together to find a solution. And the answer won’t be found in the back of the textbook.

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Molly has got her hands full. As the department head, it is her job to help newcomer Fiona Spencer fit in at the university. Not only is she a good teacher, but Molly’s department can’t afford to replace her if she decides to leave. Unfortunately, Fiona is reserved and somewhat aloof, making it all the harder for Molly to be her mentor.

Fiona has her own problems. Her office is being used as a dumping site for the construction going on in her building, the budding marriage she moved halfway across the world for seems to be in serious trouble, and she is convinced her department head is looking for reasons to fire her. That all pales in comparison when she finds her a dead body in an antique medical device that has been dumped in her office.

Molly finds herself trying to solve the murder before her new professor moves back to England to avoid a murder charge.

I love Molly. She is frazzled and a little ditzy and of course, completely competent. I get the feeling with Emma’s instigation, I mean encouragement, that she could work her way through just about any mystery that lands in her lap, especially with her seemingly endless supply of former students at her disposal. Her friends and colleagues are wonderful color characters that fill the story out nicely.

Although I found it difficult to warm up to Fiona, I dearly adored her mother Harriet. I would hope for more with Harriet. I think she and Molly would compliment each other well. I also was intrigued by the dual storylines from both Molly’s and Fiona’s perspectives. It was at times a bit repetitive with the same events often being covered by both women. Still, it made for an interesting turn to the story. The insight into the woes of academia seems to be genuine and provides an interesting canvas for the story to play out on. I feel Molly’s frustrations and commiserate. I also love the idea of small-town Hawaii. It doesn’t really fit the “image” the Islands have, but it translates well in terms of the book. All in all, this is a great addition to the series.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own

About The Author:

Like Professor Molly, Frankie Bow teaches at a public university. Unlike her protagonist, she is blessed with delightful students, sane colleagues, and a perfectly nice office chair. She believes if life isn’t fair, at least it can be entertaining. In addition to writing murder mysteries, she publishes in scholarly journals under her real name. Her experience with academic publishing has taught her to take nothing personally.