by Cynthia Chow

Details at the end of this post on how to win a copy of Murder of an Open Book, along with a link to purchase the book where a portion goes to help support KRL and an indie bookstore.

For a newlywed who’s just returned from her honeymoon with hubby Wally Boyd, Skye Denison is surprisingly stressed out. Some of that can be attributed to their honeymoon cruise being unexpectedly crashed by their families, friends, and a murder. The married couple’s professional lives are not exactly stress-free either, as their positions—Wally as police chief and Skye as school therapist/police consultant—have them both navigating a maze of local politics and relatives. What’s about to nudge Skye over the edge is being forced to keep her pregnancy a secret from everyone. Not only would this announcement overshadow her sister-in-law’s recent childbirth, but it would also ensure that Skye’s controlling and over-involved mother would become even more obsessed with Skye’s life.

One of the few sources of relaxation for Skye is swimming in Scumble River’s high-school swimming pool. Unfortunately, the respite that helps ease her all-day morning sickness is interrupted when snide science teacher and girls’ volleyball coach Blair Hucksford physically throws Skye out of the gym. Their next meeting at the gym is less combative, if only because it has Skye discovering Blair’s drowned body.

Skye never fails to lend a helping hand to someone in need. This helps to explain how, even as she somehow juggles her therapy practice between the high school, intermediate school, and police department, she also finds herself unable to resist her best friend’s plea to coordinate a charity duck race benefiting animal shelters.

The most fascinating elements that set this series apart from others are those that involve Skye’s consultations with very troubled students. The author explores women’s competitive sports, the complex needs of special-needs students, and the bureaucracy that overshadows it all. Humor continues to be the strongest aspect of this long-running series, although it runs neck-and-neck with the smoldering romantic relationship between Skye and Wally. Marriage has not slowed this couple down one bit, and readers will be anxious to see how the addition of a little one either enhances or inhibits their investigations.

To enter to win a copy of Murder of an Open Book, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “Open,” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen September 19, 2015. U.S. residents only. If entering via email please include your mailing address, and if via comment please include your email address.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & short stories in our mystery section.

Click on this link to purchase this book & a portion goes to help support KRL and indie bookstore Mytserious Galaxy:

Murder of an Open Book: A Scumble River Mystery

Cynthia Chow is the branch manager of Kaneohe Public Library on the island of Oahu. She balances a librarian lifestyle of cardigans and hair buns with a passion for motorcycle riding and regrettable tattoos (sorry, Mom).