Author: Maya Corrigan
Genre: Mystery
Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #: 9781496734594
Kensington Cozies
304 Pages
$8.99; $6.99 Amazon
October 24, 2023
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At the site of a fatal blaze, Val's boyfriend, a firefighter trainee, is shocked to learn the victim is known to him, a woman named Jane who belonged to the local Agatha Christie book club -- and was rehearsing alongside Val's grandfather for an upcoming Christie play being staged for charity. Just as shocking are the skeletal remains of a man found in the freezer. Who is he and who put him on ice?
After Val is chosen to replace Jane in the play, the cast gathers at their house to get to work -- and enjoy Grandad's five-ingredient parfaits -- but all anyone can focus on is the bizarre real-life mystery. When it's revealed that Jane's death was due to something other than smoke inhalation, Val and Grandad try to retrace her final days. As they dig into her past life, their inquiry leads them to a fancy new spa in town -- where they discover that Jane wasn't the only one who had a skeleton in the cooler...
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Val lives with her grandfather in the house he's owned forever, and they're both happy with the arrangement. When Val learns that there's been a fire and her boyfriend Bram has been fighting it alongside others, she's worried. But more so because both he and Grandad knew the victim -- a woman named Jane Johnston, who was in the play both of them were rehearsing. But then there's a complication -- Val learns that Jane may have found a person who got away with a crime, and she was not happy about it. This person works at the new spa in town, and Val wonders who it is and what crime was committed...
So begins a tight tale of murder, exposed crimes, vengeance, and suspicion. It's woven tightly and with the threads difficult to unravel. Just as Val and her grandfather think they've found one clue; another red herring pops up to move them in a different direction. Or does it? Are they being manipulated intentionally? Or are there just that many things occurring at the same time?
When Val is roped into playing Jane's part, she meets the other people in the play, and it appears to her that they might have secrets of their own. In fact, they may have known what Jane knew, so are they suspects or potential victims?
This time, Val might be playing a dangerous game with others' lives without even knowing it, and will she be able to figure it out in time? Or will her personal life keep her on her toes, as Bram has been leaving small hints himself when he speaks to her. Val knows one thing -- if there's been one murder, there could very likely be two -- or three. Will she be able to prevent them or will she be a victim herself?
This is a delightful mystery, one that pulls you in from the death in the beginning to all the clues scattered throughout. Ms. Corrigan is talented enough that she can weave a tale that keeps you guessing, and hoping that you have everything right. After all, half the reason you read mysteries is to see if you can solve it before the protagonist. Even if you do, you might not have the right answers as to why the murder was committed. When we come to the end, and the murderer is revealed, it all turns into a very good mystery that kept me reading throughout the night. I love this series, I love the author, and the story (and the others) are written well with plots that are indeed worth it all. 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 Maya Corrigan's Books: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/c/maya-corrigan/
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