Series:
Shop 'Round the World (Book 1)
She didn't realize she'd traded "Naval Aviator"
for "amateur sleuth"…
Retired Navy pilot Angel Warren’s new life awaits in
Stonebridge, Pennsylvania, where she’s opening Shop ‘Round the World, her
travel-inspired gift and novelty shop. A newly empty nester and longtime widow,
she’s looking forward to leaving her flying career and its many life-or-death
decisions behind and reconnecting with family and friends. Right now, Angel’s
biggest challenge is getting the shop ready for its grand opening just weeks
before Christmas.
Until she finds a dead body in the shop murdered with one
of her specialty Santa figurines. Even worse, Angel’s fingerprints are on the
“weapon” and she’s a prime suspect. It doesn’t help that the deceased is an old
friend who’s collected a long list of enemies as a cut-throat real estate
agent. And then there’s the Stonebridge Chief of Police—and Angel’s high school
BFF—who brings her in for questioning.
Terrific start to the new series. I am a huge fan of the
author's romantic suspense books, and this book continues the trend. The main
character was believable, the small-town setting was fun, and the townspeople
were distinctive and quirky.
Angel returned to her hometown after a long career as a
Navy pilot. Her twin daughters are off to college, and she is beginning her new
life by opening a unique shop inspired by her travels. Her grand opening is two
weeks away, and she's immersed in getting the shop ready. All of that comes to
a screeching halt when she discovers the murdered body of an old friend in her
shop. The murder weapon is one of her Russian Santas, and her fingerprints are
on it, making her a prime suspect. After being questioned and quickly cleared
by Detective Trinity Colson, her childhood BFF, Angel is determined to help
identify the killer.
Angel has been away from Stonebridge for a long time, and
as she catches up on the local gossip, she gets ideas about who might know
something about what happened. Trinity isn't happy about Angel's plans but
knows she can't stop her, so she lays some ground rules. I liked that Angel
isn't trying to go around or interfere with the official investigation; just
trying to help. The victim had many people with reasons to dislike her, so the
suspect list was long. Angel's methods are believable, and we learn about different
residents as she talks to them. I loved following Angel and her thought
processes as she pursued the clues and exposed motives. The possibilities kept
me guessing until the very end when an intense confrontation brought everything
together.
A hint of romance running through the book adds a little
complication to Angel's life. A longtime widow, she didn't expect the feelings
stirred up when she met Nate, the owner of the local coffee shop. I enjoyed
their encounters and seeing her embrace this new step. Nate impressed me with
his care and support of Angel at the end. There also seems to be a bit of
mystery to his past. Hopefully, their relationship will be further developed in
the next book.
I loved the secondary characters in the book. Angel is
close with her family, and I enjoyed getting to know her sister, Crystal, and
her brother, Bryce. It was sweet to see her reconnect with her BFF Trinity.
Their interactions over the murder and Angel's actions are significant. My
favorite character is Angel's pet parrot, Ralph. He is a trip with his commentary
and plays an important role in the resolution of the mystery.
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