Author: Mary Angela
Genre: Mystery
Digital Book
ASIN #: B0992TPJ24
Lyrical Press
275 Pages
$5.99 Amazon
April 5, 2022
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The South Dakota Gold Rush might be long over, but Zo Jones feels like she's hit the mother lode when she and her friends browse an estate sale, where a rare old book about the history of Spirit Canyon is causing quite a commotion. In addition to local stories and secrets, the book may even contain the location of a famous stash of gold -- a treasure worth killing for.
Zo's friend Maynard Cline wins the bid on the book, to the chagrin of many interested parties, including the historical society and college history department. But when Zo and Hattie head to Maynard's mansion to borrow the book for a library event, the only thing they find is Maynard -- at the bottom of the mountain. The valuable book is gone. Zo knows this must be murder because there's no way a germaphobe like Maynard would have voluntarily dived into a pile of dirt. Now she'll have to dig into a new case, and go prospecting for a perpetrator...
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When Zo Jones and her friends Hattie the librarian and Julia Parker go to an estate sale, they come away with more than they expected. Zo finds some items for her store, the Happy Camper, Hattie finds books she's enchanted with, and Julia...finds a house she knows must be hers. She wants this house, and nothing will stop her from purchasing it.
But the most intriguing thing of the day is that Maynard Cline, a germaphobe who is a member of the Zodiac Club, a stargazing club that Zo and her friends belong to, bids on a rare book about the beginning of Spirit Canyon, home to these residents. Unhappy with this win is Jeffrey Davis, head of the history department at the college, and others who think the book should have been given to them free of charge.
Since this is a historical document, Zo wants to see if there is information regarding her newfound own information of her mother. Since Zo was adopted, she wants to know who her biological parents were, and this might be a first step.. Hattie wants to show it at the library, and Maynard agrees to lend it to her -- for one hour, and only if she's the only one who holds it. Hattie agrees, and she and Zo head to Maynard's home for the book. But when they arrive, they can't find Maynard -- at least not at first. When they see his body at the bottom of the mountain, they know that Maynard wouldn't have jumped. But was it an accident? Zo doesn't believe so, especially when she sees one of Maynard's moccasins still on the mountain. The only clue to his murder is the name "Merrigan" written on a piece of paper. Could the police chief's family be involved? Zo intends to find out, with or without chief Brady Merrigan's help...
This is the third book in the series, and I think it might just be my very favorite. I have enjoyed all of the books thus far, but this one brings us closer to the characters, and I love every one of them. George is actually learning to become an indoor cat (I hope for his sake) and Max and Zo are progressing in their relationship (I hope for their sake) and I want this series to continue (I hope for our sake).
Zo is intelligent, thoughtful, generous, fiercely loyal to her friends, and extremely capable. She can run her own business, write a weekly column for the newspaper, and still manage to make time to relax. She doesn't ask questions invasively nor accuse people of murder, and she can put clues together quickly. I am pleased to see that what I have thought was occurring in previous books came to be, because it makes the series even more delightful than before (you will have to read this book to find out what I mean by that).
Zo knows the book contains not only the history of Spirit Canyon, but the settlers who first came to the area. Some say that it contains the map for the hidden gold mine of Ezra Kind, who also came to the area -- and whose mine has never been found. While they think this is the reason the book was stolen, would someone want it enough to kill for it? Someone did, although the reason is still unknown. There are plenty of suspects, and Zo is determined to sift through every one of them.
There is also another intrigue going on behind the scenes with Julia, and Zo's employee Harley is having her own troubles, to her consternation. There are some funny scenes as well, which gives a break in the action. But the murderer is still out there, and Brady isn't happy that Zo won't leave his investigation alone.
The book was thoroughly entertaining, and the plot was done very well. The author has made each book a pleasure to read, with each one getting better than the first. When the murderer is revealed and the motive discovered, it shows us that you can never see into the mind of another person. I look forward to the next in the series and wish I could delve into it now. Highly recommended.
I received an advance copy from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
More on Mary Angela's Books: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/a/mary-angela/
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