Bookmarked for Murder

A trip to Chicago draws Sam and Nana Jo into a murder that occurs on their bus. In Bookmarked for Murder by V.M. Burns, the seniors from Shady Acres Retirement Village have planned a special trip between Christmas and New Year's Eve. After a busy day in Chicago, all the passengers are looking forward to being back at Shady Acres. (Bookmarked for Murder was published by Kensington Publishers on November 26.)

When they discover a substitute bus driver, they are worried about their return trip, especially when the driver refuses to stop for a rest break. When he finally stops, nearly everyone scrambles off the bus except Irma's new boyfriend Max Franck. After everyone returns, Irma discovers Max dead in his seat. Hardly anyone knew Max, but it's obvious someone on board wanted him dead.  It's up to Sam, Nana Jo and the rest of the "girls" to solve that case.

As much as she hates to get involved in another murder,

Sam decides it's safer to investigate rather than let her grandmother and her friends meddle. Max was a Pulitzer Prize investigate journalist, and had written a book he said would blow the lid off the murder of Robert Kennedy. Sam wonders if someone from his research wanted him dead, but as she learns more about Max she discovers he was not the best father or grandfather. And that's another avenue to investigate. 

Sam sees Max arguing with a woman in the bookstore in Chicago and then again on the bus. She decides to discover the identity of the woman and learns the woman was Max's estranged daughter. There is a health reason behind the estrangement. 

While trying to solve the case, Sam continues to work on her Victorian era novel. She believes her writing helps her clarify her thinking about the current case.  I very much enjoy the dual plot lines.

Bookmarked for Murder has a cast of quirky characters and they are up to their usual antics while solving the case. A delightful mystery. 

Wed, Read & Dead

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Sam's mother announces that she is getting married in three weeks on Christmas Eve throwing everyone into a tizzy. In Wed, Read & Dead by V.M. Burns, the family has only just recently learned Grace Hamilton is planning to remarry. On top of it, she is planning to marry one of the richest men in Southwestern Michigan - Harold Robertson.

Grace Hamilton has always approached life with a princess attitude which Sam attributes to her father's desire to abet this behavior. Now it seems Harold has the same goal in mind, so when Grace decides her daughters need to wear bubble gum pink bridesmaid dresses, Sam says no way.

With the clock ticking towards Christmas Eve, Sam know she doesn't have time to organize her mother's wedding.But when the wedding planner from hell appears, everyone runs for cover. Lydia Lighthouse has her own ideas of what should be included in the wedding and spares no thought to the expense. Before long Lydia has offended nearly everyone, including her own team members.

No one is surprised when her attitude leads to murder and the groom-to-be is a suspect. Harold has been heard to say he would like to strangle her and when Lydia is found strangled, things look bleak for Harold and the wedding. As Sam learns more about Lydia Lighthouse and her Grace's future in-laws, she starts to piece together a list of suspects.

With the help of her grandmother's Sleuthing Seniors, Sam is able to solve the murder and save the wedding. Nana Jo and her friends are a riot and their efforts to solve the crime are ingenious.

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. 

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