OHHH FUN!! A new suspense author for me to read! Cynthia Hickey writes a delightful story in this first River Valley Mystery. Marsha Steele lives at home with her mother, and her daughter. A widow for the past ten years, she is not sure how she feels about the fact that her first love has returned to town. The fact that he is/was her brother-in-law feeds into the fact that her feelings are muddled.
His return however is not the big news in town. The big news is someone needs money. Actually, it seems lots of someones are needing money. However, how will she clear her daughter’s name after she is accused in two of the thefts that have occurred in the small town of River Valley Arkansas. A list of the suspects seems the way to begin. There is Kyle, whose sister stole money from him before she disappeared from town. Then there is Melvin, Kyle’s good buddy who is trying to save money to start a landscape business. Add in Billy, her daughter’s new squeeze, who really wants to attend summer football camp, the curvy Marilyn who is a local dog walker intent on raising money to head to Hollywood for her big break in the movies, and Stephanie, the ladies ministry leader at church who is saving money to adopt a baby. Yes lots of people need money, but would any of them steal it?
When people start dying in town, the whole mystery takes a big shift. Robbery is one thing, but murder? Someone is desperate and the small town local Barney Fife only seems to want Marsha to keep her nose out of it all.
A great story, lots of action and lots of suspense. Of course as a suspense fiction fan, I have my idea who “dunnit” and was happy to see that I was right. You will enjoy this book, as you follow the clues to who is causing all the trouble in town.
