The Tuesday Night Survivors’ Club by Lynn Cahoon

Please be aware that this book involves cancer, cancer treatment, and breast cancer, t

his means the review below may discuss these topics too. This is an excellent book and is a great read for anyone who likes murder mysteries, the main character and her book club are in various stages of their cancer journey and this is something a reader who is going through that journey may want to be aware of before reading this book. 

Rarity Cole has beaten breast cancer, left her high stress job in marketing, moved on from the boyfriend who dumped her during treatment, and is now starting a new life in Sedona, Arizona (thanks to her best friend’s suggestion) and running a bookstore next door to her best friend’s crystal shop.  Rarity starts a book club for cancer survivors, which quickly turns into a sleuthing team when one of their members from the first meeting goes missing and then is discovered murdered. Rarity uses her friendship with Sam to help her settle in to Sedona and meet people in the area, and her new friends from the survivors club to figure out who killed Martha and why. Along the way Rarity and Sam find possible love interests (the great thing about a series is you can find out what happens with characters in the next books) and discover a sham “doctor” that claims to cure breast cancer with hot springs and special pills. Rarity in starting her new life decides to watch Martha’s dog while they are waiting to find out what happened. This gives way to possibly the funniest scene in the book when Drew introduces Rarity to Martha’s dog Killer. This is such a fun cast of characters, and interesting town, that the quick read and ending will make the reader eager to pick up the next book in the series. 

 

Character List/Book Summary:

Rarity Cole – after becoming cancer-free she cashed out her corporate stocks, buys a bookshop in Sedona, Arizona near her best friend Sam, and starts living her life with a different purpose/feeling. Starts to get a feeling that she is being watched when she is around her bookshop. Bought a house with a pool and is determined to use it. Agrees to go on a hike with Sam and meets the Andersons who want to set Sam up with their son, Drew. Shares insights the bookclub has with Drew and agrees to watch Martha’s dog so he does not end up in a shelter, only to fall in love with the dog and while sad Martha was killed is happy to keep the dog. 

Sam Aarons – Rarity’s best friend, helped pack up Kevin’s stuff when he dumped Rarity during treatment. Is happy to have her best friend living near by and owns the crystal shop next to Rarity’s bookshop. Agrees to meet the Andersons’ son and ends up liking Drew. Helps Rarity with some work for Drew and realizes that Rarity is in trouble and gets Drew and Archer to save her from the killer. 

Martha Redding – does not want to talk about herself in the book club. Rarity sees Martha putting a large bag of dog food in her car shortly before she went missing. Her husband “died” about 10 years ago, or at least that is what she lead Rarity to believe. Was afraid people were after her money, but it was not clear that she had any money. Was killed with what might have been a tire iron and dumped in a ravine off the hiking trail to try and make it look like an accident. 

Shirley Prescott – 2 year survivor and brings some people to the book club. Very outgoing and orders books for her husband George every week from Rarity. Gives all the book club members binders when they become a sleuthing club. Gives the book club gossip on a few suspects. 

Madame “Gay” Zelda – a fortune teller who owns the shop on the other side of Rarity’s bookshop. Wants a flyer for a timid client about the book club. That friend turns out to be Martha. Her husband Charles disappeared with Martha’s husband about 10 years ago, and while the town thinks there is bad blood between the two it became a friendship. Tells Rarity that Martha had just started dating someone and got pills from the spa Drew asks Rarity and Sam to check out. 

Holly Harper – a survivor and book club member, got a divorce while going through treatment. Good friends with Malia. Loves romance novels. Works in computer management for the city and is transferring paper files to digital files. Finds some information that gives background into Martha. 

Malia Overstat – in the same Chemo pod as Holly which is how they became friends. Believes in horoscopes and the vortex having power. Thinks she found Martha’s car and the club goes for a hike and then calls Drew to let them know they think they found her car and something was hard to see but might be in the ravine. 

Kim – Shirley brings her to the book club, saying she is just diagnosed. Does not want to talk about Martha’s murder. Pushes Dr. Conrad, who she works for, on Rarity but Rarity wants a doctor with MRIs and clinics not just a spa and pills. At Martha’s funeral the book club realize she is Dr. Conrad’s wife. 

Jonathan Anderson – Drew’s dad, staying in town a little bit. Had been helping Martha with fixing things in her house. Drew was worried his father was having an affair, but after Rarity talks to him she reports no affair but his dad has insight’s into Martha that the police might find useful. Also tells Rarity that he is not sure if Archer will be in business for long as he is not sure how successful his business is. 

Drew Anderson – Sedona PD, tells Rarity that he went to Martha’s a few days ago for a noise complaint about her dog and has been checking while they are waiting for Martha to be found/return. Brings the dog to Rarity after Rarity agrees to watch the dog until it is found so that the dog does not end up in the shelter. Drew visits Rarity to help with the dog a few times, which makes Sam worry that Drew likes Rarity and not her. Rarity makes it clear to both Drew and Sam she is not interested. Was going to be on a date with Sam when Sam realized Rarity was in trouble and Drew saves her. 

Archer Ender – owns a tour company in Sedona, takes Sam and Rarity for a hike. Agrees to refer tourists to Rarity’s bookshop to buy books to learn more about the area and suggests books for Rarity to stock. Starts to date Rarity and has her go on a hike so she can talk to Chloe.

Chloe Evans – the pastor’s wife, claims Martha would never leave her dog and tells Rarity who the dog’s real vet is and that Gay drove Martha to and from treatment, proving there was no bad blood between those two. 

 Donald Conrad – claims he is a medical specialist. A wife of a doctor, in town for a doctor’s convention, says she thinks he is a snake oil salesman. Runs a spa that claims to have healing powers of the vortex and that he cured Martha’s breast cancer reoccurrence (but she did not have her cancer come back). 

Terrance Oldman – retired US Navy, who is Rarity’s neighbor who checks on her after Drew’s police car is seen in her driveway. 

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