Tracy Kiely Mysteries (2)

Loosely modeled on Sense and Sensibility, Kiely's pleasing second cozy to feature Jane Austen fan Elizabeth Parker (after 2009's Murder at Longbourn) may be short on plot, but is well populated with lively characters, in particular genteel Southerners. The morning after Elizabeth's best friend's wedding in Richmond, Va., the bride's aunt turns up with a knife in her ribs. Many members of the wedding party are suspect, but when a diamond necklace is found in Elizabeth's room, the police focus their investigation on her. For reassurance, Elizabeth looks to "Elinor Dashwood's almost transcendental calm in the face of chaos." Armchair sleuths will enjoy following the clues up to the surprising dénouement. The most shocking thing in this fun, featherlight read is that these Southerners persist in calling the bride's grandmother by her first name without the courtesy of a "Miss" in front of it.

After the death of Elizabeth Parker's great-uncle Martin Reynolds, the family’s house in the picturesque Maryland town of St. Michaels is sold. When the new owners dig up the pool, they find the body of the man thought to have run off eight years earlier after embezzling over a million dollars from the family business.

This grisly discovery not only unearths old questions about what really happened to the stolen money, but it brings Detective Joe Muldoon back into the family’s lives. Eight years earlier, Elizabeth’s cousin Ann reluctantly broke off her relationship with Joe due to family pressure. Ann always regretted that decision and now fears that it is too late for her and Joe–especially after she becomes the main suspect.

In , a clever and entertaining story with echoes of Jane Austen’s , Elizabeth tries to not only match wits against a killer who’s had an eight year head-start, but to also try her hand at matchmaking.