Murder Off the Books

Thriller writer Tess Harrow fictionalized murders in Winthrop, WA, in her last couple of books. Now she’s combining the launch party for her latest with the opening of her new bookstore in town. But the night before the grand opening, Tess’s mother shows up, bringing along her much younger boyfriend. Tess’s teen daughter Gertrude recognizes him as Levi Parker, a notorious suspect in the murder of three elderly widows. Before Tess can notify Sheriff Boyd, Levi is found dead in his hotel room. Boyd doesn’t want Tess near his case and insults her by allowing a true-crime podcaster to access the crime scene and to stay at his house while in town. Her feelings are further hurt when townspeople would rather follow the podcaster than show up at her bookstore, but Tess is determined to find the killer and to prove her mother’s innocence.