THE SHOOTING IN THE SHOP

Carole Sedden would rather ignore the holiday hoopla, but her friend, Jude, insists that Carole accompany her Christmas shopping at a trendy boutique. Within days, the store burns down, and a charred body is found in the ruins. What appears to be a tragic accident turns out to be murder, and Carole and Jude, now in their eleventh mystery outing, have gotten very good at this sleuthing stuff. Through dogged interrogations, lengthy conversations with each another, and some intuitive deductions, a dark secret is revealed and a cold-blooded killer brought to justice. Simon Brett’s cozies are best read by Simon Brett. An accomplished actor and author, Brett creates a thoroughly believable cast of characters, giving each a unique personality without ever overdramatizing. S.J.H. © AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2011]