The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Judas Horse
Lynda La Plante
Thorpe / Charnwood Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781444851267, $41.95, PB, Large Print, 336pp

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/judas-horse-lynda-la-plante/1137491924

Synopsis: When the wild mustangs are running free, you corral one and train=
it to become a Judas Horse. When he's ready, you release him and he'll bri=
ng his team back into the corral - like Judas betraying them back into capt= ivity.

Violent burglars have been terrorizing residents across the English country= side. But when a mutilated body is discovered in a Cotswolds house, it beco= mes clear that this is no ordinary group of opportunist thieves.

As Detective Jack Warr investigates, he discovers locals with dark secrets,=
unearths hidden crimes - and hits countless dead ends. With few leads and = the violent attacks escalating, he will have to act as audaciously as the c= riminals if he hopes to stop them.

When Warr meets Charlotte Miles, a terrified woman with links to the group,=
he must use her to lure the unsuspecting killers into one last job, and in=
to his trap. But with the law already stretched to breaking point, any fail= ure will be on Warr's head - and any more blood spilled, on his hands...

Critique: Of particular and special appeal to readers with an interest in p= olice procedural crime fiction, murder mystery solving women sleuths, and p= sychological thrillers combined, this large print, paperback edition of "Ju= das Horse" by Lynda La Plante is an impressively well crafted, entertaining=
, and highly recommended addition to personal reading lists and community l= ibrary Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: Lynda La Plante (www.lyndalaplante.com) is an author whose = novels have all been international bestsellers. Her original script for the=
much-acclaimed PRIME SUSPECT won awards from BAFTA, Emmys, British Broadca= sting and Royal Television Society as well as the 1993 Edgar Allan Poe Writ= er's Award. Lynda has been made honorary fellow of the British Film Institu=
te and was awarded the BAFTA Dennis Potter Writer's Award 2000. Books penne=
d by Lynda La Plante include: The Legacy, The Talisman, Bella Mafia, Entwin= ed, Cold Shoulder, Cold Blood, Cold Heart, Sleeping Cruelty, Royal Flush, A= bove Suspicion, The Red Dahlia, Clean Cut, Deadly Intent and Silent Scream,=
Blind Fury, Blood Line, Backlash, Wrongful Death, and Twisted.

The Dog Sitter Detective
Antony Johnston
Isis Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781399125895, $41.00, PB, Large Print, 264pp

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-dog-sitter-detective-antony-johnston/1= 142990363

Synopsis: Retired actress Guinevere 'Gwinny' Tuffel is finding life hard af= ter inheriting her late father's run-down house and discovering she's broke=
.. But Gwinny is delighted to be at Hayburn Stead for her best friend Tina's=
wedding to a handsome Italian business magnate. However, before they get t=
he chance to declare 'till death do us part', the husband-to-be is found de=
ad in the library and Tina is accused of his murder. Convinced of her frien= d's innocence, Gwinny must uncover the real killer from a pool of larger-th= an-life suspects, while also suddenly finding herself looking after Tina's = expensive and demanding saluki dogs.

Critique: With the publication of this large print paperback edition of "Th=
e Dog Sitter Detective", author Antony Johnston has created a novel that wi=
ll be of special interest to readers who appreciate a cozy mystery featurin=
g amateur murder mystery solving sleuths. A fun and carefully crafted read = from first page to last, "The Dog Sitter Detective" is certain to be a favo= red addition to personal reading lists and a welcome and enduringly popular=
pick for community library Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: the career of Antony Johnston (https://en.wikipedia.org/wik= i/Antony_Johnston) has spanned books, award-winning video games and graphic=
novels including collaborations with Anthony Horowitz and Alan Moore. He w= rote the New York Times bestseller Daredevil Season One for Marvel Comics a=
nd is the creator of Atomic Blonde which grossed over $100 million at the b=
ox office. Johnston is a former vice chair of the Crime Writers' Associatio=
n and can often be found writing at home in Lancashire with a snoozing houn=
d for company.

A Contest To Kill For
E. V. Hunter
Boldwood Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
www.ulverscroft.com
9781804835760, $41.00, PB, Large Print, 404pp

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-contest-to-kill-for-ev-hunter/1143065298

Synopsis: Desperate to try and rebuild the reputation of Hopgood Hall, owne=
rs Alexi Ellis and Cheryl and Drew Hopgood agree to host a realty TV baking=
show, spearheaded by their arrogant but enigmatic head chef Marcel Gasquet=
.. Hopefully the ratings will bring in bookings to the struggling hotel and = Cosmo, Alexi's antisocial feral cat, is hoping to get a starring role too!

Fiery and hot-headed, Marcel's antics makes for brilliant television, but o= ff-screen trouble is brewing. One of the contestants, femme fatale Juliette=
Hammond, makes it clear that she will do anything to secure the winning pr= ize - even if it means sweetening up the prima donna chef.

So when Juliette is found dead, all eyes turn to Marcel. Has his fiery Fren=
ch temper got the better of him or has someone else fallen victim to Juliet= te's devious ways?

With the reputation of the hotel in tatters and Marcel's liberty on the lin=
e, Alexi needs answers and fast. And the only person she can turn to for he=
lp is her old friend and private eye Jack Maddox. Jack's working his own ca= se, but he can't refuse Alexi and he knows more than anyone that this murde=
r could cost them everything!

Critique: Part of author E. V. Hunter's 'A Hapgood Hall Murder Mystery', th=
is large print paperback edition of "A Contest To Kill For" from Boldwood B= ooks is a classic 'whodunnit' murder mystery that plays fair with the dedic= ated mystery fan. With a plot that has more twists and turns than a Disneyl= and roller coaster making it a terrific read from cover to cover, "A Contes=
t To Kill For" will prove to be a welcome pick for both personal reading li= sts and community library Mystery/Suspense collection.

Editorial Note: Evan Hunter (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Evan-Hunt= er", whose original name Salvatore Albert Lombino, also writes under the ps= eudonyms Ed McBain, Curt Cannon, Ezra Hannon, Hunt Collins, and Richard Mar= sten. Evan Hunter was born October 15, 1926, in New York City. and died on = July 6, 2005, in Weston, Connecticut. He was a prolific American writer of = best-selling fiction, of which more than 50 books are crime stories publish=
ed under the pseudonym Ed McBain.

Inside Threat
Matthew Quirk
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
www.harpercollins.com
Blackstone Audiobooks
www.blackstoneaudio.com
9780063051683, $30.00, HC, 432pp

https://www.amazon.com/Inside-Threat-Novel-Matthew-Quirk/dp/0063051680

Synopsis: When Code Black is asserted it's time to assume the worst.

The day that every secret service agent trains for has arrived. The White H= ouse has been breached; the President forced to flee to a massive doomsday = bunker outside DC to defend against whatever comes next. Only the most trus= ted agents and officials are allowed in with him -- those dedicated to keep= ing the government intact at all costs.

Among them is Erik Hill, who has given his life to the Secret Service. They=
are his purpose and his family, and his impressive record has made him a h= ero among them. Despite his growing disillusionment from seeing Washington = corruption up close, Erik can't ignore years of instincts honed on the job.=
The government is under attack, and no one is better equipped to face down=
the threat than he is.

The evidence leads him to a conspiracy at the highest levels of power, with=
the attack orchestrated by some of the very individuals now locked in with=
him. As the killers strike inside the bunker, it will take everything Erik=
Hill has to save his people, himself, and his country.

Critique: A solid suspense thriller of a read from first page to last, "Ins= ide Threat" by novelist Matthew Quirk is the stuff of which block-buster ed=
ge of your seat movies are made. Sizzling with unexpected plot twists and t= urns, "Inside Threat" will have a special appeal to readers with an interes=
t in espionage thrillers and non-stop mystery action/adventure novels. Whil=
e also available for personal reading lists in a digital book format (Kindl=
e, $14.99) and as a complete and unabridged audio book (Blackstone Audio, 9= 798212690751, $41.99, CD), "Inside Threat" is unreservedly recommended for = community library contemporary fiction collections.

Editorial Note #1: Matthew Quirk (http://matthewquirk.com) is the author of=
Red Warning, Hour of the Assassin, The Night Agent, The 500, The Directive=
, Cold Barrel Zero, and Dead Man Switch. He spent five years at The Atlanti=
c reporting on crime, private military contractors, terrorism prosecutions,=
and international gangs.

Macarons Can Be Murder
Rose Betancourt
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781643859767, $29.99, HC, 288pp

https://www.amazon.com/Macarons-Murder-Kentucky-Bakery-Mystery/dp/164385976=
5

Synopsis: Living in Paris, Kentucky, and having a sidekick cat named Pepe l=
e Pew gives Marci Beaucoup's life a certain je ne sais quoi. Combining her = love of baking and France, Marci opened La Belle Patisserie to bring her sm= all Southern hometown a bit of French flair and lots of croissants. Everyth= ing is sunshine and macaronsat the bakery until her landlord calls to tell = her she's selling the property.

Marci's relieved to hear that if the top bidder, an enchanting Frenchman na= med Antoine Dubois, gets the property, he'll renew her bakery's lease. Char= med by Antoine, Marci figures this development isn't half bad and sees a ha= ndsome new landlord in her future -- but then Antoine's estranged ex-girlfr= iend Kelly turns up dead in front of her bakery!

Everyone calls Marci's pastries "to die for", but nobody's actually died at=
La Belle Patisserie before. Antoine quickly becomes the main suspect to ev= eryone in Paris -- as well as to womanizing detective Maverick Malone. Who = else would have killed Kelly but the ex-boyfriend she was just seen fightin=
g with on the day of her death?

Marci finds out from her landlord that if Antoine is arrested, his purchase=
of her building will fall through -- and her landlord will sell to develop= ers instead, who plan to demolish the building and construct a strip mall i=
n its place. Enamored with Antoine and with her patisserie dreams hanging i=
n the balance, Marci is determined to prove Maverick and the rest of Paris = wrong and find the true killer before Antoine winds up in jail -- and she h=
as to say au revoir to her bakery.

Now Marci finds herself mixed up in the murder investigation, and she must = find the killer before her half-baked theories result in her untimely death=
..

Critique: The debut novel launching author Rose Betancourt's new series of = culinary themed cozy mysteries, "Macarons Can Be Murder" is a fun read from=
cover to cover and will leave the reader looking eagerly toward her next t= itle in what promises to be an outstanding addition to community library My= stery/Suspense collections featuring amateur female murder mystery solving = sleuths. It should be noted for the personal reading lists of all dedicated=
cozy mystery fans that "Macarons Can Be Murder" is also readily available =
in a digital book formalt (Kindle, $13.99).

Editorial Note: Rose Betancourt (https://crookedlanebooks.com/rose-betancou= rt) enjoys writing quirky and fun novels with a paranormal twist. When she'=
s not plotting her next mystery novel, she loves reading, painting, spendin=
g time with family, and listening to oldies. Living near Louisville, Kentuc= ky, her writing is fueled by Diet Coke and dark chocolate.

The Island
Adrian McKinty
Little, Brown & Company
c/o Hachette Book Group
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9780316531283, $28.00, HC, 384pp

https://www.amazon.com/Island-Adrian-McKinty/dp/0316531286

Synopsis: After moving from a small country town to Seattle, Heather Baxter=
marries Tom, a widowed doctor with a young son and teenage daughter. A wor= king vacation overseas seems like the perfect way to bring the new family t= ogether, but once they're deep in the Australian outback, the jet-lagged an=
d exhausted kids are so over their new mom.

When they discover remote Dutch Island, off-limits to outside visitors, the=
family talks their way onto the ferry, taking a chance on an adventure far=
from the reach of iPhones and Instagram.

But as soon as they set foot on the island, which is run by a tightly knit = clan of locals, everything feels wrong. Then a shocking accident propels th=
e Baxters from an unsettling situation into an absolute nightmare.

When Heather and the kids are separated from Tom, they are forced to escape=
alone, seconds ahead of their pursuers.

Now it's up to Heather to save herself and the kids, even though they don't=
trust her, the harsh bushland is filled with danger, and the locals want h=
er dead.

Heather has been underestimated her entire life, but she knows that only sh=
e can bring her family home again and become the mother the children desper= ately need, even if it means doing the unthinkable to keep them all alive.

Critique: Picked to be a forthcoming Hulu original television series, "The = Island" is a riveting read of the compulsive page turner variety. With a sp= ecial appeal to readers with an interest in suspense thriller novels with m= ore unexpected twists and turns than an Oklahoma tornado, "The Island" by g= ifted novelist Adrian McKinty is particularly and unreservedly recommended = for community library Mystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for = the personal reading ists of dedicated suspense thriller fans that "The Isl= and" is also available in a paperback edition (9780316531290, $18.99), in a=
digital book format (Kindle, $11.99), and as a complete and unabridged aud=
io book (Hachette Audio, $24.99).

Editorial Note: Adrian McKinty (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrian_McKint=
y) is the author of more than a dozen crime novels, including the Dagger an=
d Edgar-award nominated debut Dead I Well May Be, the critically acclaimed = Sean Duffy series, and the award-winning standalone thriller The Chain, whi=
ch was a New York Times and #1 international bestseller. McKinty's books ha=
ve been translated into over 30 languages and he has won the Edgar Award, t=
he International Thriller Writers Award, the Ned Kelly Award (3 times), the=
Anthony Award, the Barry Award, the Macavity Award, and the Theakston Old = Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award.

Death by Food Truck
Joi Copeland, et al.
Barbour Publishing
1810 Barbour Drive, Uhrichsville, OH 44683
www.barbourbooks.com
9781636095943, $14.99, PB, 448pp

https://www.amazon.com/Death-Food-Truck-Joi-Copeland/dp/1636095941

Synopsis: Birch Tree, Maine, is experiencing a rash of deaths, all mysterio= usly linked to food trucks that frequent the Birch Point Lake Park. Mey's n= oodle truck was her ticket to a new life, until her ex-boyfriend threatens =
to take it away. Angel's new donut truck was doing great, until deathly rum= ors started. Shanice thought she had customer support when taking over her = grandpa's potato truck, until one started complaining. Marisol's taco truck=
is a fixture in the park, until linked to a food judge's death. Could comp= etition between vendors have led to this murder and mayhem?

Critique: Comprised of four cozy mysteries written in a round robin style b=
y co-authors Joi Copeland, Cynthia Hicky, Linda Baten Johnson, and Teresa I= ves Lilly, "Death By Food Truck" is a delightful literary treat for all coz=
y mystery fans and readers with an interest in Christian themed fiction sho=
rt story anthologies. While highly recommended as an addition to community = library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal r= eading lists of cozy culinary mystery buffs that "Death By Food Truck" is a= lso available in a digital book format (Kindle, $11.49) and as a complete a=
nd unabridged audio book (Oasis Audio, 9781685924065, $39.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Multi-published and best-selling author, Cynthia Hickey, ha=
s taught writing at many conferences and small writing retreats. She and he=
r husband run the publishing press, Winged Publications, which includes som=
e of the CBA's best well-known authors. They live in Arizona and Arkansas, = becoming snowbirds with two dogs and one cat. They have ten grandchildren w=
ho them busy and tell everyone they know that "Nana is a writer."

Blind Man's Bluff
Baynard Kendrick
American Mystery Classics
c/o Penzler Publishers
https://penzlerpublishers.com
c/o W.W. Norton (distribution)
https://wwnorton.com
9781613164198, $15.95, PB, 264pp

https://www.amazon.com/Blind-Mans-Bluff-Maclain-Mystery/dp/161316419X

Synopsis: The Miners Title and Trust is typically dead quiet, having gone b= ankrupt. Then, late one evening, the bank's blind president, Blake Hadfield=
, plummets eight stories to his death in the building's lobby. The only wit= nesses are the security guard and Blake's estranged wife, who were both on = the first floor. Blake's son, Seth, is found drunk and dazed on the eighth = floor, making him the prime suspect in what the police believe to be murder=
..

That's when Harold Lawson and Sybella Ford call upon Captain Maclain for he= lp. Maclain doesn't think the banker's death was a suicide or an accident. =
He believes someone else was in the building -- and when more murders follo=
w, he suspects the villain is still at large. Now, Maclain will push his po= wers of deduction to their limits to solve one of the strangest cases of hi=
s career.

Critique: Following the loss of his sight in World War I, ex-intelligence o= fficer Duncan Maclain honed his other senses and, with the help of his two = German Shepherds, became one of the most successful and well-known private = investigators in New York City, picking up on the unseen clues that often s= lip beneath the visual surface. That's the basis for author Baynard Kendric= k's mysteries starring Duncan Maclain. Introducing a new generation of dedi= cated mystery fans to a brilliantly gifted novelist with a complete command=
of the genre, "Blind Man's Bluff" has been newly released as part of the A= merican Mystery Classics series from Mysterious Press and will prove to be =
an immediately popular pick for personal reading lists and community librar=
y Mystery/Suspense collections.

Editorial Note: Baynard Kendrick (April 8, 1894 - March 22, 1977) was one o=
f the founders of the Mystery Writers of America, later named a Grand Maste=
r by the organization. After returning from military service in World War I=
, Kendrick wrote for pulp magazines such as Black Mask and Dime Detective u= nder various pseudonyms before creating the Duncan Maclain character for wh= ich he is now known. The blind detective appeared in twelve novels, several=
short stories, and three films.

Final Cut
Marjorie McCown
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639103676, $29.99, HC, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Final-Hollywood-Mystery-Marjorie-McCown/dp/163910367=
8

Synopsis: Joey Jessop enjoys working behind the scenes. As key costumer for=
the next epic superhero movie, her role is to make others look good while = staying out of the spotlight. That means making sure to be professional aro= und Eli Logan, her ex and the First Assistant Director, and Courtney Lisle,=
Eli's newest love interest and the Second Assistant Director. But this isn=
't a problem for Joey -- especially when the movie is shooting at a gorgeou=
s Malibu location.

All of that changes when Joey finds Courtney's dead body on the first day o=
f principal photography and she soon becomes the primary suspect. When the = press takes hold of the story and social media begins to run with it, Joey = watches her well-ordered life behind the scenes become front and center for=
all to see.

But that isn't even the worst of it. In the midst of this newfound and unfo= rtunate stardom, she must also contend with the reckless behavior of the mo= vie's predatory director and producer, Marcus Pray, who seems driven to con= tinue his practice of making another blockbuster hit while making sure his = crew endures a toxic and potentially lethal work environment. As a result, = Joey finds herself embattled both personally and professionally.

With tensions building on set and a murder investigation looming over her l= ife and future, Joey takes it upon herself to clear her name. Will she be a= ble to expose the truth before it's a wrap?

Critique: A carefully crafted and thoroughly entertaining read from cover t=
o cover, "Final Cut" expertly showcases author Marjorie McCown's genuine fl= air for original and the kind of narrative driven and unexpected plot twist=
s that make for a riveting story that will be of particular interest to fan=
s of the cozy mystery featuring amateur women sleuths solving complicated m= urder mysteries. While highly recommended for community library Mystery/Sus= pense collections, it should be noted for personal reading lists that "Fina=
l Cut" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a=
complete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666638073, $22.9=
9, CD).

Editorial Note: Marjorie McCown (https://marjoriemccown.com) has spent her = entire professional life in the story-telling business, though she started = out on the visual side of the craft. She spent more than twenty-five years =
in Hollywood working as a key member of the costume design teams for a stri=
ng of successful movies that includes Forrest Gump, Apollo 13, The Firm, A = Bronx Tale, Wag the Dog, The Aviator, Hairspray, Angels and Demons, The Cur= ious Case of Benjamin Button, and X-Men Days of Future Past. McCown has a B=
A in Theater from the University of Virginia and an AAS in Fashion Design f= rom the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. She is a member of Sisters =
in Crime and Mystery Writers of America.

Take the Honey and Run
Jennie Marts
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781639103072, $28.99, HC, 336pp

https://www.amazon.com/Take-Honey-Run-Keeping-Mystery/dp/1639103074

Synopsis: As a successful mystery author, Bailey Briggs writes about murder=
, but nothing prepares her for actually discovering the dead body of the fo= under of her hometown of Humble Hills, Colorado. Bailey grew up at Honeybuz=
z Mountain Ranch and was raised by her beekeeping grandmother, Blossom Brig= gs, aka Granny Bee, and her two eccentric sisters, Aster and Marigold -- wh= ich is why she drops everything to come home and help Granny Bee after a ba=
d fall.

A broken foot doesn't stop her grandmother from ruling The Hive, her granny=
's book club, or continuing to prepare and package her bee-inspired product=
s. But when Bailey's grandmother's infamous "Honey I'm Home" hot spiced hon=
ey turns out to "bee" the murder weapon and her granny is now the prime sus= pect, Bailey has no choice but to use her fictional detective skills to hel=
p solve the murder and "smoke out" the real culprit.

With the help of Bailey's witty bestie, a pair of meddling aunts, the feist=
y members of The Hive, and her computer-savvy daughter, this amateur sleuth=
is determined to solve the case. A malicious attack and an ominous threat = reveal that someone wants Bailey to butt out of the investigation, but ther= e's no way she's backing down. She must use her skills to uncover the truth=
and catch the clever culprit before her grandmother ends up bee-hind bars.

Critique: An impressively well crafted and distinctively original cozy myst= ery by an author with a complete mastery of the genre, "Take the Honey and = Run" is a novelist Jennie Marts' Bee Keeping Mystery and a thoroughly fun r= ead from cover to cover. While highly recommended, especially for community=
library Mystery/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal = reading lists of all dedicated cosy mystery fans that "Take the Honey and R= un" is also available in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a co= mplete and unabridged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666636963, $22.99, = CD).

Editorial Note: Jennie Marts (https://jenniemarts.com) is an author of awar= d-winning books filled with love, laughter, and always a happily ever after=
.. She loves genre-mashups, and her books range from western romance to cozy=
mysteries but all have the charm and appeal of quirky small-town life.

How the Murder Crumbles
Debra Sennefelder
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
9781639102808, $29.99, HC, 304pp

https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Crumbles-Cookie-Shop-Mystery/dp/1639102809

Synopsis: Wingate, Connecticut, is famed as one of the top ten shopping des= tinations in the state, and home to Mallory Monroe's beloved Cookie Shop --=
a place where patrons are greeted with the heavenly aroma of freshly baked=
cookies that are as beautifully decorated as they are insanely delicious.

But things aren't going so smoothly for Mallory. Her two employees are a di= saster in the kitchen, she catches her boyfriend with another woman, and sh= e's seen having a fierce argument with food blogger Beatrice Wright, who ac= cuses Mallory of stealing her cookie recipe. Then Beatrice turns up dead in=
her kitchen, flour outlining her body and a bloodied marble rolling pin ne= arby. Mallory immediately becomes suspect number one, her sales plummet, an=
d she desperately tries to clear her name -- but that's not the only murder=
the killer is baking up.

Critique: With the publication of "How the Murder Crumbles, novelist Debra = Sennefelder has cooked up another a perfect recipe for cozy mystery fans re= plete with endearing characters, a picture-perfect evocation of small-town = life, and a quaint sweets shop. And just when things get a little too comfy=
, there's always a murder or two for good measure! A fun read from first pa=
ge to last, "How the Murder Crumbles" is a top pick for community library M= ystery/Suspense collections. It should be noted for the personal reading li= sts of dedicated fans with an interest in amateur female murder mystery sol= ving sleuths that "How the Murder Crumbles" is also readily available in a = digital book format (Kindle, $13.99).

Editorial Note: Debra Sennefelder (http://debrasennefelder.com) is the auth=
or of the Food Blogger Mystery series and the Resale Boutique Mystery serie=
s. When she's not writing, she's either baking or reading.

Death Knells and Wedding Bells
Eva Gates
Crooked Lane Books
2 Park Avenue, 10th floor, New York, NY 10016
www.crookedlanebooks.com
Dreamscape Media
https://www.dreamscapepublishing.com
9781639102723, $28.99, HC, 272pp

https://www.amazon.com/Knells-Wedding-Lighthouse-Library-Mystery/dp/1639102= 728

Synopsis: Lucy and Connor planned for the perfect Outer Banks wedding -- an=
d that's exactly what they got. Aside from typical rumblings of familial te= nsions, the late spring weather allowed for a beautiful day, the food was d= elicious, and everyone had a good time, until one of the guests goes missin=
g.

Before Lucy can look forward to the rest of her life in Nags Head and the w= ork she does at the Bodie Island Lighthouse Library, she gets a phone call = from her boss, Bertie James. Eddie, Bertie's friend, never made it back hom=
e after the reception. Initially, Lucy doesn't think anything of it -- some= times wedding guests simply have a little too much fun. But this quickly tu= rns to something darker when she discovers the body of a wedding guest stra= ngled in a locked closet, and the police immediately start asking questions=
about Eddie. Lucy must figure out if the two are connected before it's too=
late -- both for Bertie's friend and the rest of her wedding guests.

With the Classic Novel Reading Club reading the Selected Works of Edgar All=
an Poe, Lucy wonders if the master of the macabre can assist her investigat= ion or if the hunt for the killer's identity will remain as nothing more th=
an an unsolved mystery.

Critique: The newest addition to author Eva Gates' 'A Lighthouse Library My= stery' cozy mystery series, "Death Knells and Wedding Bells" is a riveting = read that is as original as it is fun and a 'must' for all dedicated fans o=
f amateur women sleuths who must solve an embedded plot twister of a murder=
mystery. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition for community librar=
y Murder/Suspense collections, it should be noted for the personal reading = lists of Eva Gates fans that "Death Knells and Wedding Bells" is also avail= able in a digital book format (Kindle, $13.99) and as a complete and unabri= dged audio book (Dreamscape Media, 9781666634549, $59.99, CD).

Editorial Note: Eva Gates (https://cozy-mystery.com/Eva-Gates.html) began h=
er writing career as a Sunday writer: a single mother of three high-spirite=
d daughters, with a full-time job as a computer programmer. Now she has mor=
e than twenty novels under her belt in the mystery genre, published under t=
he name Vicki Delany. She lives in Ontario, "Death Knells and Wedding Bells=
" is her tenth Lighthouse Library mystery.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
s from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these=
reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, inte= rnet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested indivi= duals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "Califo= rnia Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwat= ch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available=
for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview=
(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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