Part of Death on Demand, book 10
First published 1999
Annie Darling owns Death on Demand, a mystery bookstore and cafe on a South Carolina island. She expected her Fourth of July celebration to feature fireworks and festivities. Instead, she witnesses a murder. Retired Brigadier General Charlton "Bud" Hatch lies dead at the crowded patriotic festival, shot before Annie's eyes. The general had made enemies quickly after joining the library board. His commanding personality and takeover tactics alienated the entire town, particularly the women. Now Annie and her husband Max must solve the case. The island resort town that seemed safe and serene has once again proven that murder can strike anywhere. Annie's bookstore attracts trouble as reliably as her cats Dorothy L. and Agatha create mischief. This Fourth of July, independence takes on a deadly meaning as the Darlings investigate who wanted the general permanently discharged from duty.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, contemporary
Vibes: cozy, emotional, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-detective, found-family
Setting: South Carolina, Death on Demand
Period: Fourth of July
304 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Avon