Murder at the Taffy Shop

It's late summer on Cape Cod and the tourist season is in full swing. At Mac Almeida's bike shop business is brisk. In Murder at the Taffy Shop by Maddie Day, Mac hopes it's just the bike shop that causes excitement. (Murder at the Taffy Shop will be published by Kensington Books on March 31.)

That hope is short lived as her friend Gin stumbles across a body near her candy shop. The victim is the next door neighbor of Mac's parents. Beverly Ruchart is a not well-loved member of their community.  

The police learn Beverly had held a dinner party the night before and several locals were invited, including Gin; Beverly's son-in-law Eli who is dating Gin; Ron Ruchart, Beverly's grandson; Wesley Farnham and his daughter Isadora. Gin explained that Beverly seemed quite drunk and and wasn't feeling well by the dessert course. 

As much as Mac and Gin would like to think Beverly died of a

heart attack, the police learn something different. Someone poisoned Beverly and when a container of the poison is found in Gin's garage, the police eye her as a suspect. 

Mac and her Cozy Capers Book Group decide they cannot let their friend be accused of a murder she did not commit so they decide to investigate. Although they have been warned not to get involved, the group fans out to ask questions. When someone tries to break into Mac's shop, she decides she may have hit a nerve and thinks maybe her investigating should be done quietly and from inside her house. 

This is a promising new series from Maddie Day and I look forward to the next book. Mac is a likable character and her eccentric family is fun to be around.