Center Stage

Magnolia Steele believes she is at the top of game when she is cast in the starring role in Fireflies at Dawn on Broadway. But before her second curtain call, she is involved in a full blown brawl on stage during the show.

Forced to flee, she returns home to Franklin, Tennessee, after a 10-year absence. In Center Stage by Denise Grover Swank nothing prepares Magnolia for her return home. Haunted by terrifying events she cannot remember 10 years ago when she ran away from home right after her high school graduation, Magnolia never thought she would return home.

When she shows up at home, her mother's reaction is cold and angry, but she takes her in. Right from the start, her mother pushes her to work for the family catering company in the background. Although her mother doesn't want Maggie as a waitress at a country singer Luke Powell's party, she is thrust into it.

Unfortunately Magnolia encounter a sleazy agent Max Goodwin from her past and immediately

engages in a very public argument with him. When Magnolia discovers him dead in a compromising position hours later, she knows she will be in the spotlight, but not on a Broadway stage.

In addition she is beginning to remember bits of what happened the night she ran away and the growing horror of the event torments her. When she receives a text message reading, "Welcome home, Magnolia. I've been waiting" she is terrified.

Along with her newly discovered sister-in-law Belinda, Magnolia tries to solve the crime and keep herself out of jail. Belinda a hyper-enthusiastic wedding planner jumps into solving the case with both feet.

This is a tense mystery with another mystery yet to follow as Center Stage does not solve Magnolia's recurring nightmare. I am looking forward to the next book to see where it leads.