by Joan Hess
First published 1994
Claire Malloy runs the Book Depot in Fayetteville and prefers selling mysteries to living them. But when her friend Luanne's fiance faces murder charges, Claire cannot stay on the sidelines. Police suspect him of killing his first two wives in gruesome circumstances. The evidence looks damning and the community whispers about his guilt. Luanne refuses to believe the accusations and begs Claire to investigate. Claire knows she should leave police work to professionals, yet she cannot abandon her friend. She digs into the suspect's past marriages and uncovers disturbing details about both deaths. Each clue she follows leads to more questions about what really happened to the two women. Claire must separate truth from speculation before an innocent man goes to prison or a guilty one escapes justice. Her loyalty to Luanne drives her deeper into danger as she confronts the possibility that love can blind people to terrible truths.
Genres: mystery, crime, contemporary, thriller
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: friends-to-lovers, loyalty
Setting: Fayetteville
Period: contemporary
244 pages · Paperback · Wheeler Pub Inc