"At the time, I'd let my ex keep the bigger pieces, bargaining for some of the better small antiques, like the marble-topped table I used as my nightstand. After looking around, I emptied a single box, the one marked 'essentials,' which held my favorite black tea, imported from Yorkshire, England, along with a mug, my tea kettle … and a package of shortbread cookies I'd brought along for emergencies."
— From Antiques, Artifacts & Alibis by Sally Bayless
Last week, I discovered a new-to-me cozy mystery author who quickly became a new favorite. Sally Bayless's Dogwood Springs cozy mystery series is about the recently divorced Libby Ballard, who is headed for her first day of work as the new director of the small-town museum in Dogwood Springs, "the prettiest town in Missouri." When Libby discovers the body of the previous museum director in her office, well, it's not exactly a great first-day experience!
I immediately fell in love with Dogwood Springs and the characters, including local hairdresser (and font of information) Cleo, her nerdy nephew, Zeke, and museum board member Alice, who I gather will be the regulars in this series. Lots of folks seem to have had it in for the old museum director, and the story keeps us guessing about the killer until the very end.
The book features a smart heroine with a personal connection to her new town that I found particularly charming (no spoilers here). And having been on a historical society board before, I had to smile at some of the goings-on at the history museum, which I thought were spot-on, give or take a dead body. If you enjoy clean cozy mysteries, too, this is a series well worth checking out, and I'm already halfway through the second book!
Thanks, I will check into it!
ReplyDeleteThank you for bringing this book (and series) to our attention--it sounds like a good one! I will definitely look for it.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good book. Thanks for the recommendation.
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