Dead as a Doornail

Lucy Ellen Lowell is a bit of an abrasive personality in Cottonwood. She lets folks know when she's dissatisfied, both verbally and in writing. So when she turns up deceased after a run-in with Tina Bowers, and the weapon turns out to be Tina's handcrafted nail polish, the obvious suspect is, well, Tina. She insists she's innocent, and Kenni Lowry's Poppa turns up to tell her there's more going on than what first seems clear. (I think Poppa is one of my favorite characters!)

Along with trying to solve the crime, Kenni is also roped into acting as Polly Parker's maid of honor in her upcoming wedding to Mayor Ryland. And when she tells her mother that she'll be spending Christmas with Finn and his family, that really stirs things up!

I enjoyed this visit to Cottonwood. The characters are people I can relate to, and I love the description of small-town life. The mystery was engaging, as always, and had some twists I didn't see coming. A pleasure to read, and I'm looking forward to more of Ms. Kappes' books.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, and I don't say nice things about books I don't like.