Part of Death on Demand, book 21
First published 2011
Annie Darling runs a mystery bookstore on a quiet island, but when a local resident turns up dead, reality proves messier than any novel on her shelves. Police rule the death a suicide, yet Annie spots glaring problems with their conclusion. The evidence tells a different story. A towel appears where it shouldn't be. A crystal mug bears no fingerprints though someone used it recently. Annie follows these clues as her investigation uncovers what really happened that night. Her search forces her to view longtime neighbors with fresh suspicion. She discovers that someone in town conducted a secret affair. The deeper Annie digs, the more she understands that her peaceful community conceals dark motives. People she trusted harbor deadly secrets they will murder to keep buried.
Genres: suspense, mystery, thriller
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-detective, investigation
Setting: Community
282 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow