Author: Alexis Morgan
Genre: Mystery
Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #: 9781496739681
Kensington Cozies
304 Pages
$8.99; $6.99 Amazon
December 27, 2022
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As the newest member of the Snowberry Creek City Council, perpetually overextended Abby McCree is picked to liaise between the council and the new planning committee for the town's first ever arts and crafts fair. As far as gigs go, it's a fun one -- Abby's spending the weekend tooling around Washington State, checking out similar fairs with her two besties, coffee shop owner Bridey Roker, and ceramic artisan Dayna Fisk.
As Abby spreads the word about Snowberry Creek's fair, recruiting the industry's biggest movers and makers, the trip feels like a glittering success. But then, someone is found murdered at one of the events and vendors begin disappearing amid suspicious circumstances. Abby's determined to keep her hands clean, until Dayna finds herself stuck at the top of the suspect list. Now, Abby must weave the clues together and clear her friend's name before the killer claims another victim -- maybe even Abby herself...
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Abby McCree inherited her aunt's home and moved to Snowberry Creek after a messy divorce. She's made friends and put down roots, and has become close with her tenant, Tripp Blackston, who resides in the mother-in-law house behind hers.
In fact, she's become so much a part of the community that she was coerced into joining the city council. Now, as its newest member, she's assigned to travel to several arts and crafts fairs around the area in order to see if they, having committed to being a part of Snowberry Creek's first arts and crafts fair, will need anything the day of the fair. Along with her are her two best friends, Bridey Roker, who owns the local bakery, and Dayna Fisk, who works in ceramics.
All seems well when they begin their journey, and they have no problems until they finally reach a noted craftsman. But she can only meet the man's niece, as he seems busy, and decides to return later. But when she does, the tent is closed, and so she returns home.
Then Abby, back home, is visited by Homicide Detective Ben Earle and local sheriff Logan Gage. They have questions about her being at one of the fairs -- it seems someone was murdered and her business card was found at the scene. When she explains her actions, she's determined to stay out of this murder, which pleases the three men in her lives. But when a woman disappears and her friend Dayna is considered a suspect, things change. But how can Abby be there for Dayna and stay out of the murder? She's determined to figure it out -- but fate has a way of changing things all around...
This is the sixth book in the series and I have read them all. I must say that this is my very favorite of them. For some reason, when Abby was sad, I was also. When she cried, I felt my own tears pooling. Usually, I am not drawn into books as deeply as I was in this one, and it was indeed an emotional roller coaster. Following Abby as she tries to navigate caring for her friend and staying away from the murder isn't easy, because Abby is having a difficult time herself. Each time she tries, something else occurs that pulls her closer; it eventually begins to pull at her instincts, and we feel the uncertainty that she does as she tries to figure it all out.
But it is a final note that brings Abby to the truth, and when she does figure it out, she comes to the same conclusion as I did a bit earlier (only because, and I state this regularly, I read a lot of mysteries). Watching Abby in the climax of the book only shows us how intelligent and resourceful that she is.
When the murderer is discovered, the reasons for it seem rather sad on one side and as old as time on the other (read the book and you will understand); and yet -- there is more to come and it brings both joy and calm and expectation for the future. All is well once again in Abby's Snowberry Creek; and I am glad that it is so. Kudos to Ms. Morgan for bringing us a terrific tale of mystery and intrigue. I thoroughly enjoyed it and anxiously await the next in the series. Highly recommended.
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley but this in no way influenced my review.
More on Alexis Morgan's Books: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/m/alexis-morgan/
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