Madeline Brimley fled Enigma, GA, for college and the theater world when she was 17. Almost 20 years later, she returns home when her beloved Aunt Rose dies and leaves her the Victorian home that houses the Old Juniper Bookstore. The gazebo in the backyard is set on fire 15 minutes after Madeline’s arrival, she receives a threatening phone call, and she already wants to pack up and leave again, but the bookstore’s healthy sales figures and a college student who loved Aunt Rose encourage her to stay. Then there’s a fire in the bookstore and a murder, and Madeline decides to sell and move on. That’s when she learns she has to live in the house for six months in order to inherit. Mistrustful of the small-town police force, Madeline joins forces with her aunt’s best friend, Dr. Philomena Waldrop, and Enigma’s new Episcopal priest, Gloria Coleman, to find the culprit. Both women might soon regret teaming up with Madeline, whose rash actions and accusations cause more trouble.
VERDICT This atmospheric mystery from a pseudonymous novelist, actor, dramatist, and professor will appeal to readers who enjoy Southern or bookstore settings, quirky characters, and beautiful, descriptive writing.
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