THE GOURDMOTHER by Maggie Bruce (Berkley)

I had serious doubts about this "first gourd crafat mystery" despite the glowing blurbs from writers I truly admire. (That's possibly because mystery writers are so supportive of newcomers!) I just wasn't in the mood for another light-weight cozy with a hook. Despite my hesitancy to start, I quickly realized that Maggie Bruce knows her way around a puzzle. We're talking serious crimes in a small town, many of them hidden by the victim(s). Lili Marino isn't a hobbyist hoping to sell her cute wares at the church bazaar--she's aiming for juried art show sales. Lili's not living off a trust fund either. She got her cottage in Walden Corners, NY in lieu of payment for six months of technical writing. Unlike "ripped from the headlines stories," this is a story that could happen anywhere, any time. Join me in welcoming Maggie Bruce to the mystery world.