Mystery Readers book for April

The Mystery Readers group I belong to chose to read a mystery either written by a California author or a mystery that takes place in California. I chose Silence is Golden by Penny Warner. Warner's feisty heroine, Connor Westphal, is deaf and that's the unique part about the book. Warner carries off the disability with style. The fact that Connor can't hear, but gets along very well anyway, is very refreshing. The story takes place in Flat Skunk, a town situated in gold country. When local prospector, Sluice Jackson, finds gold in an old mine, the town is flooded with gold seekers. Soon after a gold tooth is found at the same site, a skelton is unearthed and Sluice claims that it is his great-grandfather who went missing for 150 years ago. A murder follows (of course) and an attempted murder, which Connor must solve. It was a fun read with good natured eccentrics and a little romance for good measure.