A Deadly Edition (A Blue Ridge Library Mystery #5)

Author:  Victoria Gilbert
Genre:   Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book
ISBN #;  9781643854762
Crooked Lane Books
368 Pages
$26.00; $12.99 Amazon
December 8, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Planning a wedding can be murder --  sometimes literally.  At a party celebrating their upcoming nuptials, Taylorsford, Virginia library director Amy Webber and her fiancé Richard Muir discover the body of art dealer Oscar Selvaggio -- a bitter rival of their host, Kurt Kendrick.

Both had been in a heated battle to purchase a rare illustrated volume created by William Morris's Kelmscott Press, so suspicion immediately falls upon Kurt.  Amy knows that Kurt has a closet-full of skeletons from his past -- but she can't believe he's guilty of murder.

Amidst an avalanche of wedding preparations, Amy begins an investigation with the help of her aunt Lydia Talbot and the new mayor of Taylorsford, Sunshine "Sunny" Fields.  Much to Lydia's dismany, her boyfriend, art expert Hugh Chen, becomes convinced of Kurt's guilt and launches an investigation of his own.  As the case hits painfully close to home, the stakes become impossibly high -- and the danger all too real.

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Amy Webber and Richard Muir are finally getting married.  Planning a wedding can be stressful, but on this evening they're just going to enjoy themselves.  Kurt Kendrick, the enigmatic man who's become their friend, is hosting an engagement party at his home.  Unfortunately, an unannounced person has shown up at Kurt's door, and since Kurt knows him, Oscar Selvaggio has become a guest, but not a very nice one.

It seems both Kurt and Oscar are vying to purchase a rare book from William Morris's Kelmscott Press, and although Amy can tell there is tension between them, she also sees other things which look suspicious, but tries not to be too distrustful because of the reason she's there.  But when Selvaggio is found dead, and she later learns that he was poisoned, she wonders if the things she saw could be clues as to the murderer.  While Kurt is high on the list, she refuses to believe that he killed Selvaggio.  But that leaves a whole other set of suspects, and none of them are savory.  Now Amy wants to find out who killed the man, and before her wedding...but will there ever be one?...

I have followed this series from the very first book, and I will tell you that while I wasn't impressed with that one, I am glad that I've stuck with this series.  I've enjoyed spending time with Amy and her family and friends; and watched her relationship with her next-door-neighbor Richard grow into love.  It's been an interesting journey, and I certainly hope it will continue.

I have always been fascinated with Kurt Kendrick, who has a checkered past, is also fiercely protective of those he cares for.  He is now a wealthy art dealer (among other things), and it is this mysteriousness of his which has drawn me to him in every book.

In this one, it is things from his past that have come back to him, and Amy wants to know what is going on.  She's also concerned with the fact that her younger brother Scott, whom she rarely sees, is now in attendance for her wedding, but still keeping secrets from her.  Then there's her Aunt Lydia's boyfriend Hugh, who still seems to be searching for evidence against Kurt about anything, and his new colleague Fred Nash, who seems to have taken up a liking for her best friend Sunny.

With so much swirling about her, it's a wonder she can keep anything quiet in her head.  But Amy, being the intrepid person that she is, isn't going to give up trying to solve the puzzle, and I do like the fact that she's careful and doesn't run around accusing everyone she meets of murder.  I also like that fact that Richard accepts Amy for the person she is and doesn't hound her to stay out of the investigation, but he does, as is expected, tells her to be careful and not put herself in danger.

With so many questions about the people who are around her, Amy has the need to know what's happening and is surprised at what she discovers but yet knows it isn't anything she can share easily; and I do like that this time out she's changing in her feelings toward Kurt (whom, as I've stated before, is the best character in the series).

When the murderer is discovered, the motive for the murder is discovered, and of course we have a climax that was to be expected, and worth reading all the while, especially for the intrigue.  In the end, everything comes together flawlessly; it makes for a highly satisfying ending that makes us long for the next in the series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Blue-Ridge-Library-Mystery/dp/1643854763/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3456363926

More on Victoria Gilbert's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/g/victoria-gilbert/

Final Roasting Place (A Cook-Off Mystery #2)

Author:  Devon Delaney
Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781496714459
Kensington Publishing
289 Pages
$7.99; $6.89 Amazon
September 25, 2018

⭐⭐⭐

Erno Oliveri made sure to be on set for his daughter's cook-off appearance on Sunny Side Up with Brett and Carmell.  Or as it's now known, Sunny Side Up with Carmell and Brett -- since ambitious young Carmell seems to have the producer and station owner eating out of her hand.  But the important news is that Sherry has bested the competition with her Spicy Toasted Chickpea and Almond appetizer and clinched the spatula-shaped trophy.  It's her shining moment -- until everything goes dark.

A quick-moving storm has knocked out power to the studio -- and when the lights come back up, Carmell is at her desk with a sharp object lodged in her neck.  The weapon is an unusual tool, used by craftsmen who make hooked rugs.  Has someone taken corporate backstabbing to a new level, and framed Erno in the process?  If Sherry's going to protect her dad and their family name, she has to find out where he was when the lights went out...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Sherry Oliveri has entered yet another cook-off and won top prize at Channel Twelve television station.  While cleaning up her things she sees her father having a heated argument with the station's anchor, Carmell Gordy.  After finally getting everything together, the news is on, and Sherry's father needs to use the restroom, so she waits behind the camera person for him.  But there's a blackout from a storm, and when the lights come on again, Carmell is dead.  When Sherry finds out that a tool from her father's Ruggery shop was used as the instrument of death, she's horrified.  But knowing her father isn't a killer makes her wonder how someone got it.  When she finds out that her father is a suspect, Sherry will do anything to find the killer, even if it means not leaving it to the police to sort out.  Hopefully, she'll be able to stay one step ahead and outsmart someone who's doing their best to frame her dad...

This is the second book in the series, and I have to say that I wasn't impressed by it for several reasons.  A good cozy mystery must have, in my book, three things to make it a decent series:

1. A good mystery;
2. Conflict and/or danger;
3. A love interest of some sort.

Let me explain these things:  the mystery was there and at the same time it wasn't.  The main part of the story was Sherry making food/going to prepare food, and telling us about it.  (I looked at the recipes and honestly, none of them sounded appetizing; but then again, that's just me).  Anyway, where we should have had a little suspense about the murder, there was none.  

As far as conflict and/or danger goes, I don't mean conflict in the form of an 'evil nemesis,' (which I absolutely loathe as far as that goes), but in the protagonist and perhaps setting up others' backs by asking questions, or the murderer thinking the protagonist is 'getting too close' and then doing something about it (such as breaking into their home, sending them threats, trying to cause 'accidents', etc.)  None of that was present in this book.

The love interest:  I'm not talking about kissy-face here.  The love interest can even be peripheral and still be interesting.  Maybe there's an attraction and we know it and yet they don't act on it, or another reason why they haven't yet gotten together, but you know the attraction is there.  You can feel it.  Sadly, this book hasn't even got that.  There is no love interest looming in the background, nor even in the foreground.

So, even though this book was a mystery, at the same time it wasn't, considering none of the above were present, and the murderer was apparent early on, which really isn't a big deal if the book is interesting enough to carry it through, but I got bored with all the talk about Sherry's food, Frances's pickles, etc.  By the time we got to the killer being caught (as we know all along they will be), I wasn't much interested anymore, I just wanted to know the motive, so I finished the book.

Anyway, I may or may not continue this series in hoping for the best, but if I do begin another book, I will say that if it goes the way of the first two, I am done with the series.  Three stars for the writing.

https://www.amazon.com/Final-Roasting-Place-Cook-Off-Mystery/dp/1496714458/ref=

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3452674762

More on Devon Delaney's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/d/devon-delaney/

Quiche of Death (A Sugar and Spice Mystery Book 3)

Author:  Mary Lee Ashford
Genre:   Mystery

Trade Paperback; Digital Book
ISBN #:  9781516105090
Lyrical Underground

154 Pages
$15.95; $7.19 Amazon
July 21, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐

At Sugar & Spice Community Cookbooks, the friends and business partners have secured a tasty new commission:  producing a cookbook for the Abbott family.  The Abbots have made their fortune in quiches, and Sugar and Spice have been invited to a weekend gathering where all the siblings, along with crusty matriarch Marta, will be in attendance.  But it's soon clear that this trip will come with a hefty slice of drama.

Theo, the only grandson, arrives with his flaky fiancée, Collette, who quickly stirs up trouble...and is found dead the next day.  As the investigation unfolds, secrets -- and recipes -- are shared, and Sugar and Spice realize just how messy and murderous the situation may be.  As another family member falls ill, can they solve the case without getting egg on their faces...and a target on their backs?

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

When Sugar Calloway lost her job, she and her friend Dixie Spicer opened their own business.  Sugar was once an editor for a large magazine, and Dixie is a baker, and they've found their niche creating cookbooks for people.  They've been asked to spend the weekend at a B&B owned by one of the Abbott family, and to create a cookbook for everyone in the group.  The Abbotts started with a recipe for a delicious quiche, and have continued with other recipes to create a fortune in frozen foods.  But Sugar and Dixie just don't know what they've walked into...

When the family gathers for an informal dinner, the only grandson, Theo, shows up with his fiancée Collette and her small French poodle, who causes havoc at the dinner table.  It's apparent that the matriarch of the family adores Theo, so nothing is said.  But the next morning while out for a walk, Sugar stumbles across the body of Collette, who's been killed with an arrow.  Now she's up to her ears in suspects, and finding a killer isn't going to be easy, especially when you're trying to cook a murderer...

This is the third book in the series, and I have not read the first two, so I was a little leery of what to expect.  I did like the blurb, though, so I thought I would continue.  While the book starts out a little slow, it soon gathers momentum and draws you into the story.  There is a bit of background on the two main characters, but as I said, this is the third, so it's not gone into detail; yet there's enough where you don't feel left behind in what is going on with them.

The women have created their business by deciding to put cookbooks together for others using recipes, photos, and stories -- which is a different background from other cozies, so that was a plus for me.  When the story gets rolling, we discover that this family makes other dysfunctional families look normal.  There are family dynamics behind the scenes that Sugar catches onto quickly, and she and Dixie can't wait to leave the premises.  But when something unexpected happens, it makes Sugar determined to figure out what's really going on.

I liked the way the tale was written, and even though it's not even close to suspenseful nor a thriller, I have to say that I honestly didn't figure out the murderer until Sugar did, which is a very nice thing.  The ending was a true surprise all around; and I enjoyed the story so much that after finishing it I went and bought the first two and plan to read them soon -- and hope to see that the next in the series will be coming forth soon.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Quiche-Death-Sugar-Spice-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0855Q9JFW/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3450862723

More on Mary Lee Ashford's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/a/mary-lee-ashford/

Christmas Cow Bells (A Buttermilk Creek Mystery #1)

Author:  Mollie Cox Bryan

Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781496721327

Kensington Publishing

304 Pages

$7.99; $5.87 Amazon

September 24, 2019

⭐⭐⭐

Christmas is a time for new beginnings, so after her big breakup, Brynn MacAlister takes the gouda with the bad.  With her three Red Devon cows, she settles in bucolic Shenandoah Springs, eager for a new life as an organic micro-dairy farmer and cheese-maker.  Then her dear cow Petunia's bellows set the whole town on edge.  But it isn't until Brynn's neighbor, Nancy, dies in a mysterious fier that her feelings about small town life begin to curdle...

It seems some folks were not happy with Nancy's plan to renovate the Old Glebe Church.  But is fear of change a motivation for murder?  As a newcomer, Brynn can't ignore the strange events happening just on the other side of her frosty pasture -- and soon on her very own farm.  Suddenly Christmas doesn't feel so festive as everyone demands she muzzle sweet Petunia, and Brynn is wondering if someone wants to silence her -- for good...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Brynn MacAlister moved to Shenandoah Springs to start an organic cheese farm and a new life.  She had planned to also have her boyfriend with her, but they broke up just before she moved.  So now she has her three cows and hopefully, soon a thriving business.

Her friend Nancy lives just a short walk away in the Old Glebe Church, which she plans to turn into a marketplace for people to sell their farm goods.  Not everyone is happy about it, not wanting change, and they've been vocal.  But Nancy's determined, and Brynn is in her corner.  But when Brynn is awakened one night by the smell of smoke, she realizes it's coming from the church, and when she arrives she questions if they've found Nancy.  When she finally discovers that they've taken her to a local hospital, Brynn follows, and Nancy whispers a last sentence to her.

When Nancy later dies of her injuries, Brynn knows that the church was set on fire purposely, and Nancy tried to give her a clue as to what happened.  Brynn isn't sure what she can do, but when her own farm is targeted more than once, she knows she has to do something before she winds up in the local cemetery, and not by choice...

This is the first book in a new series and I really wanted to like it, but I'm a bit on the fence about this one.  I started to get bored around the first half of the book, because more information was given us about cheese making and cows than there was about the mystery.  It was a struggle to continue, and you never want to struggle when you're reading the book.

We also didn't get a lot of information on Brynn except that she wanted to be a cheese maker and is still obsessed with her ex-boyfriend Dan.  She mentions him way too much not to be.  However, I hope that she'll figure it out in future books.  I didn't much care for the little dig where she was upset because an old man called her "sweetie."  What's the big deal?  This is the generation they grew up in, and if you can't tolerate or accept other generations, it's your problem, not theirs.  So there was that.

When the murderer was revealed, it was pretty much expected by me all along, so I wasn't really surprised; however, I do like the characters of Willow and Schulyer.  I would like to see stronger male characters; aside from Wes, they were practically non-existent; and you couldn't tell that the sheriff or Rafferty were even trying to solve a crime, since they were rarely in the book.

Other than this, I don't think it's a bad start to a new book.  I've read her other series, and really enjoyed the Cora Crafts mysteries, so I'm willing to give this one a chance.  Since this is the first in the series, I'm sure the characters will improve over time, and I will read the next to see if the book is centered more on the mystery and less on the cows.

https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Bells-Buttermilk-Creek-Mystery/dp/1496721322/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3447624122

More on Mollie Cox Bryan's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/mollie-cox-bryan/

Game of Dog Bones (Melanie Travis Mysteries #25)

Author:  Laurien Berenson

Genre:   Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781496718372

Kensington Publishing

304 Pages

$19.51; $12.99 Amazon

June 30, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

As Greenwich, Connecticut slows down during a bitterly cold February, Melanie and her spunky Aunt Peg head to the city that never sleeps for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden.  Aunt Peg can't wait to demonstrate her judging chops on national TV, even after being hounded by frustrating mishaps -- all seemingly orchestrated by Victor Durbin, an ousted Paugussett Poodle Club member with a bone to pick.  But the bright lights of the show ring grow dim when Victor is found murdered, and she's the one topping the suspect list...

Driven to solve the crime on her aunt's behalf, Melanie fetches hair-raising clues about the victim.  Victor didn't score many friends with his unethical breeding practices, sketchy puppy café, and penchant for mercilessly scamming others to get ahead.  He burned so many bridges that his own business partner admits to being delighted by news of his death.  It appears Victor finally toyed with the wrong person, and as Melanie digs up more chilling evidence, she realizes that exonerating Aunt Peg means confronting a murderer who's in it to win it...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Melanie, her family, and Aunt Peg are heading to New York City, where Peg is going to host a seminar on raising and caring for show dogs.  Unfortunately, Victor Durbin, who hates Peg and blames her for getting him kicked out of the Paugussett Poodle Club for his unsavory practices with his dogs, has started his own Empire Poodle Club, and has slated his judging to be opposite Peg's seminar, hoping to lure away her guests to watch his judging.  But his plans go awry when Peg's seminar is filled, and Melanie, who has slipped away to watch the judging, is confused when she notices that the judge seems 'off' a bit and seemingly giving awards to dogs who aren't, in Melanie's opinion, deserving of the ribbons.

Later on, Victor accosts Aunt Peg and demands that she has a drink with him, even though she asks him to let her go.  Eventually Melanie, who can't take it anymore, forces Victor to release her aunt and they go on their way.  But the next morning before they are to head to the show, Peg calls Melanieand tells her that Victor has been murdered.  When Peg discovers that she's a suspect in the murder, she asks Melanie to sniff around and see if she can figure out who had a motive to kill him.  But Melanie doesn't know what she's in for -- it seems everyone hated Victor and had a reason to kill him, including his own godmother...

This is the 25th book in the series, so it's been long-running.  While I must admit that there were some earlier books that just couldn't hold my attention (mainly because most of the story was about dog shows and very little about finding a murderer), I am glad to say that this is not the case here.  While we learn quite a bit about the show itself, the tale is still focused on the murder.

While Melanie is trying to discover who might be the killer, she learns much about Victor's life, and what she does is distasteful to her and everyone around her.  His practices as far as dog breeding were compromising, as well as his relationships with women.  Therefore, Melanie has her work cut out for her in trying to find the killer.  

Meanwhile, she's still attending the Westminster with her family and watching Aunt Peg as she judges there for the first time.  She's also dealing with the upcoming wedding of her friends Crawford and Terry, who are dog handlers, and the fact that Crawford is holding a grudge against Melanie for something she did in an earlier book, which is causing stress in their relationship.  But still, this has to be put on the back burner in favor of finding the killer.

But when she asks questions, she might be hitting the wrong notes with some people, and she's trying not to burn her own bridges in the process.  When Melanie does finally figure it all out, it's shortly after we've figured it out ourselves, which is not a problem; and finding the murderer's motive is very sad indeed.  All in all, a good book that can be read in one evening and I look forward to the next in the series.  Highly recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Game-Bones-Melanie-Travis-Mystery/dp/1496718372/ref

Goodreads:   https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3445948851

More on Laurien Berenson's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/laurien-berenson/

Tragic Toppings (A Donut Shop Mystery #5)

Author:  Jessica Beck

Genre:   Mystery

Mass Market Paperback; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9780312541095

Minotaur Books

290 Pages

[Various Prices]; $7.99 Amazon

January 1, 2011

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Donut shop owner Suzanne Hart sees customers come and go all day long.  But when one of them up-and-disappears, the police start asking questions.  It seems Suzanne is the last person to have seen Emily Hargraves, who runs the local newsstand.  Suzanne has nothing to report about their encounter.  But when Emily doesn't turn up, no news is bad news,,,

Suzanne has to admit that Emily's last request was a little odd -- a blueberry donut made to order, with chocolate icing, sprinkles, stars, and a chewy sour gummy worm coiled on top.  Odder still, Suzanne's ex-husband Max also appears to be missing. But what really takes the cake?  The corpse Suzanne finds hanging from a tree in the park.  Who knew donut-making could turn out to be such a dangerous business...

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Suzanne Hart owns Donut Hearts, a donut shop in small-town April Springs, North Carolina.  One morning she's visited by Chief Martin, who's been contacted by Emily Hargraves' mother, who's worried because Emily is missing, and Suzanne was the last person to see her.  So after he leaves, she calls her best friend Grace to help her locate Emily, knowing she'd never just disappear without a word and leave her shop unlocked.

But later while Grace and Suzanne are walking through the park toward Suzanne's home, they find something they'd rather not:  Tim Leander hanging from Patriot's Tree.  After the police arrive and they've been questioned, they think that's the end of it.  But Suzanne has been asked to help find out who killed Tim, and she feels an obligation to do so.

Complicating matters are the fact that her boyfriend Jake has arrived since he has a few days off work and wants to spend the time with her; being a state investigator doesn't give him a lot of free time; and someone has stolen her beloved recipe book, without which she can only create the donuts she's memorized by heart.  So Suzanne decides that now it's been made personal, and she's more than ever determined to find the killer, even if it puts her own life in danger...

This is the fifth book in the series, and probably my favorite one.  The plot was decent, and there were enough suspects and enough red herrings to keep me reading throughout without getting bored.  I like Suzanne and the fact that she doesn't knowingly do things that might put her into danger, nor does she do stupid things like breaking and entering.  It helps that she's smart enough to merely ask questions, even if those questions are a tad invasive.  After all, how does one get answers otherwise?

This time out, she has managed to finagle Jake into working with her, sort of like a tag team.  She and Grace will ask the questions of the women, and Jake and her friend George Morris will tackle the men (not that it's sexist, but it makes more sense that way).  In doing so, they hope to ferret out a killer.

Also on the sidelines is her mother Dorothy, who is trying out dating again after being a widow for many years.  The man she's seeing is none other than police chief Philip Martin, who's had a crush on her forever and is mellowing in his desire to please her.  But unfortunately, some of his efforts have gone awry, and now Dorothy is still on the fence, which worries Suzanne.

But in the end, the killer will be found, as we know it must be, and the reasons for the murder seem rather twisted and delusional, giving us no sympathy at all for them.  All in all, it was a satisfactory ending and I will continue with the series.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Tragic-Toppings-Donut-Mystery-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B004VMV3YU/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3444320405

More on Jessica Beck's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/jessica-beck/

Howloween Murder (Melanie Travis Canine Mysteries #26)

Author:  Laurien Berenson 

Genre:   Mystery

Hardcover; Digital Book

ISBN #:  9781496730572

Kensington Publishing

224 Pages

$20.00; $9.99 Amazon

August 25, 2020

⭐⭐⭐⭐

With just a few days left before Halloween, everyone at Howard Academy is anticipating the guaranteed sugar high they'll experience from gorging on Harriet Bloom's famous marshmallow puffs.  The private school's annual costume party revolves around the headmaster's assistant and her seemingly supernatural batches of gooey goodies.  So, it's a shock when Harriet's elderly neighbor is suddenly found dead with the beloved dessert in his hand.  In a snap, police start questioning whether Harriet modified her top-secret recipe to include a hefty dose of lethal poison...  

Melanie knows her tenured colleague would never intentionally serve cyanide-laced puffs to a defenseless old man.  But as explosive neighborhood gossip reveals a potential culprit, it also brings her closer to sealing her own doom.  Because on an evening ruled by masked revelers, bizarre getups, and hidden identities, Halloween might just be the perfect opportunity for a cold-hearted killer to get away with murder once again -- this time sending a nosy, unsuspecting sleuth to an early grave!

✽✽✽✽✽✽✽✽

Melanie Travis is a teacher at Howard Academy, an upscale school that was once the Joshua Howard mansion and is now home to the Connecticut private school.  Since she is the special needs teacher, she also brings her ex-champion show dog and standard poodle, Faith, along with her.

After an unexpected trip to the attic, Melanie is heading back to her office when she spots the director's assistant, Harriet, sitting at her desk, clenched fingers and staring straight ahead.  Harriet tells her that her neighbor Ralph Penders is dead, and the police think she killed him.  It seems Harriet makes marshmallow puffs every Halloween not only for the academy's annual Halloween party, but for neighbors as well, and when Ralph was found, he had one very tainted puff in his hand.  Now she's afraid she'll be arrested for a murder she didn't commit.

So she asks for Melanie's help in finding out who killed the old man, and while Melanie doesn't want to get involved, she knows she'll need to do so.  After informing the director -- who will be sorely upset by the news -- Melanie sets about retrieving the puffs that Harriet gave to neighbors and trying to find a killer.  But it's not going to be easy, since none of the suspects know who she is, and the ones that do talk to her aren't giving her much.  It's when Melanie gets a little too close that the killer becomes nervous -- and decides the best thing to do is get her out of the way -- permanently...

While I must admit that I haven't read all of the Melanie Travis books, I've lately been doing so, and liked them.  This is a mystery set at Halloween, and while there isn't a lot of detail regarding the holiday, there's enough sprinkled throughout to remind you.  

Melanie vows to help Harriet any way she can, and if that means dealing with people she doesn't know, then so be it.  The people she questions are a motley bunch, and while I'm not sure I'd want to spend time with any of them, it's definitely an interesting group.  The most interesting of all is Harriet's sister Bernadette, who's merely two years younger than Harriet but doesn't want to get old.  So she's found herself a much-younger boyfriend, and unfortunately, Melanie isn't sure what to make of it, especially since they act like teenagers around each other.  But Melanie is discovering more about Harriet that she never knew, and it surprises her; realizing that she should have made better friends with Harriet years ago.

Woven in between this is, of course, subplots; one of which is the fact that her younger son Kevin still hasn't made up his mind on what he wants to be for Halloween; and there's also a young boy named Luke who is one of her students and has taken a real shine to Faith.  Both of these subplots are central to the story in one way or another, giving us a relief from finding a killer.

While I knew the murderer the moment the person stepped onto the page (I read a lot of mysteries); it still was quite a bit of fun reading the story and seeing if I was right (I was).  Finding the motive seemed rather sad and cold, and gave me no sympathy toward the killer at all.  In the end, this is a quick read that can be read in one evening, and definitely worth the time.  Recommended.

https://www.amazon.com/Howloween-Murder-Melanie-Travis-Mysteries/dp/1496730577/ref

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3442513067

More on Laurien Berenson's Books:  https://www.fantasticfiction.com/b/laurien-berenson/