THE "M" WORD, a Mystery by Jane Isenberg

Can fifty-something English prof Bel Barrett track down the killer of River Edge Community College President Dr. Altagracia Garcia while having hot flashes and senior moments?

Bel needs to clear the bad boy culinary arts major accused of icing the president instead of the cake before the real perpetrator stops her and her own goose is cooked.

Join Bel, her students, sidekicks, live-in-lover, and "adult" children as Bel prowls the mean streets of Jersey City and Hoboken, New Jersey in (very) hot pursuit of the murderer.

"The 'M' Word just delighted me.... This is a whoozy, a step up from cozy. Good characters, good story, intriguing setting, interesting relationships, some humor, and reminders to do your kegels."

     Kathleen Swanholt, Mysterious Women

"The sleuth, Bel Barrett, is distinguished even among a crop of increasingly diverse fictional detectives, by punctuating the discovery of clues with bouts of hot flashes."

     The New York Times, Sunday New Jersey Section

"Bel Barrett is Evanovitch's Stephanie Plum twenty-five years later--sassy and brassy."

     Margaret Baker, The Ledger, Baldwin City, Kansas

"First time author Jane Isenberg has come up with a delightfully twisty tale in The 'M' Word. Bel Barrett is an absolute delight---middle-aged and patient, with amazing resources. As to the veracity of the story, having been brought up and educated in Jersey City, I found myself nodding my head, saying, 'Yes, yes!' on a regular basis."

     Toby Bromberg, Romantic Times

"[Isenberg's] humor, down to earth style and good story sense will keep the reader turning the pages."

     Stephanie Shea, Mystery Place at TalkCity

"...Isenberg's straightforward style moves the reader along quickly. But it is the wit and humor Isenberg gives her character that make the book more than pulp fiction. There is depth and wisdom."

     Filomena Gomez, Lifetime Magazine for Good Living: The Guide for Grown-ups

"The solution is satisfying. I wasn't sure if the M Word referred to Menopause or Murder. I'd like to think it could stand for More--as in a series."

     Deadly Pleasures

"Ms. Isenberg introduces us to some of the less written about parts of New Jersey. We see not only the crowded, some say mean streets of Jersey City, but the new yuppie haven of Hoboken and the green beauty that is Liberty State Park."

     Jackie Acampora, The Strand Magazine

"The clues are well hidden but the outcome is logical. Anyone wishing for a light mystery, with an engaging teacher turned detective will enjoy this story. It leaves the reader smiling and pleased."

     JAM, Rendezvous Magazine

A Reading Group Guide

1. In The "M" Word, each chapter begins with an e-mail, fax, or newspaper article. This device is unusual in a "cozy" mystery. What does it bring to the novel? How do you feel about it?

2. Bel Barrett narrates this book in her own words. Is she a trustworthy narrator? Would you like to have her as a weekend guest in your home? Why or why not?

3. The target readership for The "M" Word is made up of midlife women. Would you recommend the book to any men? To younger or older women? Why do you feel this way?

4. What kind of mother is Bel? How do you know?

5. Bel's experiences at River Edge Community College illustrate the joys and challenges of teaching in an urban two-year school. Why does such a place work well as the setting for a mystery?

6. Isenberg has said that the figure of the amateur sleuth is a good metaphor for a modern woman at midlife because they rely on many of the same skills and qualities. What do you suppose she means?

7. In what ways is the developing relationship among Bel, Illuminada, and Betty typical of the friendships women form at midlife?

8. How would you describe the humor in this novel?

9. The "M" Word has been described by a friend of the author as "very New Jersey." How did you feel about the setting? Did it validate your impressions about the Garden State or alter them?

10. Bel finally solves the murder by turning a "weakness" shared by many older people into an asset and an opportunity. Compare and contrast her approach to crime busting with that of other amateur sleuths you've enjoyed reading about.

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