Lyla Moody and her book club, the Jane Does, are hosting a Halloween party at Magnolia Manor, tailored after Agatha Christie’s A Murder is Announced, but when the lights come on after the staged murder, a real victim lies dead with a gunshot wound in her chest. The victim was an estranged relative of Elaine Morgan, operator of the B&B, who’d earlier been seen arguing with her about the fate of the property. Suspicion immediately falls on Elaine, and she’s arrested.
The Jane Does believe Elaine is innocent, and when they get the chance to team up with police officer Rosa Landry—a member of the club—they jump on it. But then, the club discovers that two more murders have been brazenly predicted online and in the Sweet Mountain Gazette—and that one of the intended victims is Rosa.
Lyla thinks she knows who the killer is, but the only way to find out is by laying a trap using Rosa as bait. But, like an Agatha Christie mystery, the truth is never what it seems. Lyla and her trusty book club will have to sleuth out the killer before Rosa meets her final chapter. (Goodreads synopsis)
I have not read any of Kate Young’s novels prior to this one.
I enjoyed the “current topics” theme throughout the novel. Specifically, how investigations can impact a community, from the unreliability of witnesses to attention seeking reports. The book also demonstrates how perceived misconduct, or accusations of misconduct, can impact an investigation as well as the community overall. It forces a reader to view a news story from another POV, and not just what the reporter conveys.
I felt frustrated with Lyla, and with Rosa, because there were obvious clues that something was wrong, and yet it seemed to take them a while to figure it out. But I was also frustrated by the lack of communication between them, since it is implied that they are close friends (this is book 3 afterall). However, I was also frustrated with Lyla because of the way she was with Brad. I did not like Brad, not even his introduction. I imagine he was better suited in the previous novels and I simply missed it, but I could not find the means to like how he handled the first murder.
The plot itself was intriguing, and absolutely something that could, and has, happen in real life. Sometimes, it is not police that experience these things. It could be an average everyday citizen. In today’s view with social media, it is easy for mistaken identities and rumors to run agog.
Overall I rate this novel 4 out of 5 stars. I think if I go back and read from the beginning, then I might have to change my rating.
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