Congressional staffer Kit Marshall is looking forward to a much-deserved summer vacation in the Outer Banks. When the mayor of the beach town turns up dead, Kit and her friends need to put their fun and relaxation on hold to help solve the crime.
August has been a busy month for congressional staffer Kit Marshall. She hit the road with her boss, Congresswoman Maeve Dixon, who is considering running for the United States Senate in North Carolina. After endless town halls and meet-and-greets, Kit is happy to end the tour in Duck, an upscale beach town in the Outer Banks.
Before Kit can relax on her much-deserved vacation with her husband Doug, brother Sebastian, best friend Meg, and beagle mutt Clarence, the body of Duck’s mayor is found floating in the shallow waters of the Currituck Sound.
Kit’s brother Sebastian, who got in a public kerfuffle with the victim the day before, becomes the prime suspect. Solving the mystery takes her to popular hotspots in the Outer Banks, including a private tour featuring the wild horses of Corolla.
Kit must sacrifice sun-filled days of relaxation to clear her brother. In the end, Kit and Sebastian put their own lives on the line to secure a confession from the killer and make sure justice is served.
Review
The "town" of Duck in the Outer Banks is a lovely setting for this murder. For Kit, the vacation is much needed after a hectic few months of "not compaigning" with her boss. Her brother, Sebastian, and her friend Meg join her and her husband as Congresswoman Dixon ends her tour. Only even at Dixon's last showing, the mayor and Kit's brother, along with others, argue. The townspeople are not all on board with the Mayor's plans to change Duck into a resort town. He's already moved the old pizza place and used that spot for an organic wine bar. And then there's the horses of Corrolla. Wild horses that Sebastian and his friend are adamant need funding to survive.
Duck is a small town and the stranger (Sebastian) is the preferred suspect, especially so soon after the public argument. There's some additional tension among the friends and Sebastian stays close to home while Kit and Meg ferret out the killer.
As with other books in this series, Dead as a Duck is well-written with enough surprises and tension to keep your interest. The cast of characters that return (Kit, Meg, Clarence, and others) are strong and well-developed. The residents of Duck? They all have secrets and needless to say, one of them is a killer. Although this is part of a series, Dead as a Duck can easily be read as a stand-alone. If you like cozy mysteries with a taste of politics, friendships, and small town interactions, you will enjoy this one by Collen Shogan.
FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in the hopes that I would post an honest review. This has not affected the content of my review in any way.
About the Author
A member of Sisters in Crime, Colleen splits her time between Arlington, VA and Duck, NC.
Authors Prior titles: STABBING IN THE SENATE, HOMICIDE IN THE HOUSE, CALAMITY AT THE CONTINENTAL CLUB, K STREET KILLING, GORE IN THE GARDEN, LARCENY AT THE LIBRARY
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