Friday, July 20, 2018

Read Herring Hunt

When North Harbor, Michigan football star Dawson Alexander’s girlfriend Melody is found strangled and he is arrested, mystery book store owner Samantha Washington decides to investigate. In Read Herring Hunt by V.M. Burns, Dawson is more than just an employee to Dawson, her rents his small apartment above the shop from her and bakes goodies for her mystery bookstore.

Melody was known as a “honey trap” around the campus because she latched on to athletes with potential. Dawson, finally seeing the light, decides to break up with her. Unfortunately she lashes out and scratches his face. When she is found dead, the police turn right to him as a suspect.

Sam enlists her aggressive lawyer sister Jenna to defend Dawson.  Along with her grandmother Nana Jo and the “girls” from the Sleuthing Senior Book Club, Sam tries to prove Dawson is innocent. 

While she worries about Dawson, Sam finds time to work on her
second novel set in the English countryside between the world wars. In it someone tries to murder the Duchess of Windsor, better known as the American divorcee Wallis Simpson and wife of abdicated King Edward VII. Sam has been afraid to send the first novel she has written, but decides to keep writing just in case she changes her mind about submitting it.

In her own life, Sam is still mourning the death of her husband, but her grandmother is aiming to get her to start dating again. Two candidates include British professor Harley Quin and restaurant owner Frank Patterson. 

The fun subplot of Sam's novel makes this an entertaining mystery inside another mystery. 

2 comments:

Annette said...

I loved this book. VM Burns is my favorite new author. Her book Traveling Shoes was also an awesome book.

V.M. Burns said...

Thanks so much! I appreciate the kind words and support.