Vanishing Point, by Marcia Muller

This is the book In Which Sharon Gets Married. At last! She and Hy have been dancing around forever, and it's really about time they settled down. Of course, "settled down" for them is a thin veneer and once the celebration ends, they are each off on their own jobs. Sharon has been asked to look into the disappearance of the mother of a friend some 20 years ago.

In the process of what seems like a beyond-cold case, she discovers that some of the myths we like to keep around family and society are just that: myths. The corollary is that no one really knows what is going on within a marriage except those in the marriage, and when both parties are gone, it's hard to separate fact and appearance.

And, in a seemingly offhand and somewhat cruel way, Hy has suggested that Sharon's home isn't quite up to snuff as a home for a married couple. Is this what marriage is all about??

Though the plot itself is a little threadbare, the scheme of the book is well-thought-out and enjoyable. I always forget--between books--how much I like Sharon and her friends and family.