Kate Borden

Peggy Jean Turner, mayor of Cobb's Landing, a small New England town, is happy that mysterious banker, Max, has turned their once poor town into a colonial-themed tourist attraction, but is less than thrilled that he wants the town to reenact the first Thanksgiving for the tourists. Although she knows the town needs the money, PJ believes that Thanksgiving should be spent with friends and family. However, PJ is in the minority and she reluctantly agrees to take part in the reenactment. As she is preparing for the reenactment, she also has to deal with the obnoxious Prunella Post who is renting a neighbor's house for the winter. With crime on the rise, including someone breaking her shop window, Peggy is happy to welcome former police chief Stu McIntyre back to town and his old job. But when Prunella is found murdered and Stu's fiancee, Emily, is the chief suspect, Emily finds herself investigating the murder.

I'm hooked on this charming cozy mystery series. What I like most about the series is the depiction of the friendship between PJ and her best friend and next door neighbor, Lavinia. Readers will enjoy their close and easy relationship and the friendship between their sons. PJ is a strong heroine, at times a bit headstrong, but very realistic as she struggles with running a town and business and life as a single parent. Her relationship with Ian is sweet, but feels a bit rushed. I wish Kate Borden had let the relationship build through a few more books before escalating the way it did in this book. The mystery was well plotted and I didn't guess the identity of the murderer until right before PJ did.

The only problem I have with this series is that Borden's description of life in New England seems a bit off at times. I found it hard to believe not only that a town would not plow after receiving eight inches of snow but that the kids would still have school (nor would they have school when there's a foot of snow). Towns always go over budget on snow removal; it's a part of living in New England.

Those issues aside, I've devoured the first three books in the series and look forward to reading the next one.… (mais)