Part of Meg Langslow, book 23
First published 2018
Meg Langslow locks up Trinity Episcopal after an evening event and checks on the toucan that Reverend Robyn Smith keeps in her office. Strange hammering sounds draw Meg down to the crypt, where she discovers an elderly parishioner dead on the floor. Someone has broken open burial niches and scattered urns everywhere. Among the spilled ashes lies a gold ring set with a large ruby. The victim had been furious with the church lately, threatening to reclaim his wife's remains. Chief Burke takes charge of the murder investigation while Reverend Smith asks Meg to contact families whose ashes were disturbed. This grim task reveals an unexpected connection. Meg realizes someone tried to steal the toucan the same night as the murder. The break-in might not be coincidence. She decides to trap the bird thief, who could also be the killer. Meg must untangle whether the death resulted from personal revenge, grave robbery gone wrong, or the victim stumbling onto another crime entirely.
Genres: christian-fiction, mystery, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth
Vibes: cozy, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, found-family
Setting: Trinity Episcopal, Crypt
Audio CD · Dreamscape Media