Simon crafted an endearing trio of fully-fleshed out characters ... Though Mother-Daughter Murder Night functions better as a character study than a mystery, I foresee more crime-solving in the Rubicons’ future.
Simon puts most of her muscle into developing Lana’s character while Beth and Jack, as likable as they are, aren’t as fully drawn. Simon knows how to build an intriguing plot with lots of suspects, plenty of red herrings, and a handful of jaw-clenching attacks on the Rubicons designed to stop their investigation.
Simon stocks her layered plot with plausibly motivated suspects and convincing red herrings, but it’s her indomitable female characters and their nuanced relationships that give this mystery its spark.
