This is a difficult review to write. Sweet & Deadly is a re-release of a 20-year-old Charlaine Harris novel; I believe this was her debut. The book shows all of the promise of Harris's future works, but lacks some of the punch.

Sweet & Deadly is also plagued with many of the problems of a debut novel.

The story is pretty simple -- 23-year-old Catherine Scott Linton returns to her hometown of Lowfield, Mississippi, after what was initially described as the "accidental death" of her parents. Her father had been the town doctor for many years and, several months later, Catherine comes across the beaten body of her father's old nurse. Catherine soon learns that the nurse had some secrets that could expose some people of the town.

If you're looking for the action of the Southern Vampire series with Sookie Stackhouse, you're going to be disappointed. Sweet & Deadly is an old-fashioned Southern Gothic mystery that is more slowly paced. The author has not yet developed the barbed hooks that keep readers turning pages of her future works.

Harris's writing is also not as clear and strong then as it is now -- there are points that you're not entirely sure what she's trying to say -- but stick with it, the book's an interesting read and a good example of the mystery genre and the times it was based upon.