Scones and Scoundrels

The lovely town of Inversgail is in for a nasty "hurricane" named Daphne Wood. Famed environmentalist and modern day recluse, Daphne returns home after 30 years to be an artist-in-residence at the local school. In Scones and Scoundrels by Molly MacRae the women of Yon Bonnie Books and Tearoom find themselves in the middle of the storm.

Before the illustrious writer makes her appearance, her impact is felt in the long list of demands she has for her author-in-residence. When Daphne arrives early, bringing her dog and makes a fuss over the accommodations that have been hastily reorganized, no one is a fan.

Daphne is expected to appear at Yon Bonnie Books at a signing, but Janet begins to worry about her quirky behavior and hopes she doesn't disrupt the event.

When a visiting tourist is found dead behind a bar frequented mostly by locals, Janet, Christine, Tallie

and Summer would love to investigate, but the upcoming author event has them hopping. When said author decides she wants to investigate with them, she dreams up the name SCONES for their group. Janet and friends try to coax her out of investigating, but Daphne has a mind of her own.

Daphne makes no bones about her desire to investigate and she continues to alienate nearly everyone in town with her abrupt behavior. She harangues Gillian, the teacher who organized the author-in-resident, badgers Maida, the homeowner where she is staying, and torments just about everyone she encounters. Janet wonders if her years of living in solitude in the woods have had their impact on Daphne's behavior or is there something more.

A whispers of whiskey society, a Peeping Tom and another murder or two compound the efforts of the book shop owners while they investigate. There investigation leads them to an unlikely suspect.

Scones and Scoundrels is another enjoyable mystery featuring the technology-savvy women from Yon Bonnie Books.

For a review of Plaid and Plagiarism, the first book in the series, click here.