About the Book
So when prominent businessman Harry Kerr is discovered face down in his pool shortly after dawn, the breakfast crowd in Jesse Camden’s tearoom is buzzing. Recognizing the name, Jesse hurries to her friend Vivian Windsor, Myrtle Grove’s resident oil heiress. Vivian is the great-aunt to Bliss Kerr, widow of the deceased and soon-to-be prime suspect in his suspicious death.
Clearing Bliss and finding the real murderer isn’t what Jesse means when she offers her assistance. And wrangling an eager band of helpers while chasing a tangle of leads across the countryside, tripping over deputies and evidence along the way, isn’t her first choice for her weekend. But here she is, and here she will be, hearing secrets no one should know, and discovering betrayals no one could live with, until Jesse finds her way through the maze of deceit to uncover the real killer.
Review
The center of the story is the Tea Room run by Jesse and her mother, and where the Garden Club congregates. Jesse doesn't intend to get involved in solving the murder, especially with the somewhat contentious relationship she has with the sheriff. Needless to say, that's not what happens. Jess discovers more than she ever wanted to know about the people of Myrtle Grove and uncovers the killer.
Merrill does an excellent jog of weaving information about characters, their history, and their personality. The characters and dialogue are realistic, though some of the clandestine activities may be out there. The story is well-plotted and it's hard to put down. Not only that, as a reader I didn't guess at the killer. mystery itself is juicy... plenty of suspects... plot progresses logically. I don't post "stars" and rarely indicate a book as "5-stars" even when posting my reviews elsewhere. This one is the exception. It's the first in the series of seven, and I highly recommend it.
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