by Sandra Murphy

Dena Russo bought a bookstore, lock, stock, and books. It was a bumpy beginning, what with the landlord not taking care of things and the tenants trying to work together, and that was before there was a body. Now things have improved. She’s still trying to input all the titles into an inventory but is making progress, despite the computer’s lack of cooperation.

Then the former owner and his dog dropped by with demands. He claims their original agreement shows Dena owes him additional money. Since she hasn’t paid it, the store rightfully reverts to him. He storms out, but the dog stays. Now what’s she to do? Efforts to locate the man come up with nothing.

A rumor starts. The police investigate his disappearance which means looking closely at Dena after their argument, and when things couldn’t seem to get worse, internet trolls accuse Dena of stealing the dog and worse. But wait, there’s more! A dead body in her backyard and another disappearance. She can’t believe this is happening to her. This wasn’t her idea of business ownership.

I like Dena. She loves books and dogs and is determined to make a go of the business, and now, is the manager for all the stores which means keeping the peace and finding new tenants. Readers will like the new ice cream store owner, but be warned, you’ll crave a big bowl of your favorite scoops after reading about the flavors served there. Be prepared. Shop first, buy backups, just in case.

Read the novella length prequel, Rat Race, to find out how Dena bought the store on a whim, Booked, to follow the ups and downs with the oddball tenants and the uncooperative landlord, and Plotted, where bad luck seems to not just follow her but actively track her down.

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Sandra Murphy lives in the shadow of the Arch in St. Louis Missouri. She’s editor for Peace, Love, and Crime: Crime Stories Inspired by the Songs of the ’60s, with twenty-two cozy stories. She also edited A Murder of Crows, twenty-one stories featuring animals and crime (no animals were harmed). She also writes for magazines, newsletters, and the occasional guest blog. Both anthologies are available at the usual outlets, print or ebook.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.