Publishers Weekly
12/24/2018
In bestseller Deveraux’s entertaining sequel to 2018’s A Willing Murder, Kate Medlar is happier than she has ever been since moving in with her aunt, Sara Medlar, and her aunt’s ex-lover’s grandson, the incredibly handsome Jack Wyatt, in Lachlan, Fla. Though the trio recently solved a multiple murder, they’re determined not to get involved in another case, even when Janet Beeson, a lonely widow, is found poisoned, stabbed, and shot in her home. This proves difficult when everyone in Lachlan, including the sheriff, insists on coming to them with new information. Soon, the trio will discover that the whole town knows more than they’re saying, and Kate, Sara, and Jack are the only ones who can piece together all the stories. What they uncover is a conspiracy that runs deeper than they could have imagined, and involves everything from the local crochet competition to the apparent suicide of Janet’s best friend. Kate and Jack’s undeniable chemistry helps compensate for one-dimensional characters and sometimes tedious subplots. Fans of Deveraux’s romance novels will be particularly charmed. Agent: Robert Gottlieb, Trident Media. (Feb.)
From the Publisher
"Readers who are new to the series will quickly catch up. Juicy neighborhood gossip and a good dose of humor build up to a dramatic ending that's equal parts wicked and fun." -Kirkus Reviews on A JUSTIFIED MURDER
"The mystery debut of bestselling romance author Deveraux (As You Wish, 2018, etc.) starts with an unhappily-ever-after-an unsolved murder. But its heroine, a romance novelist, has a better ending in mind. Fans of Deveraux and the cozy mystery genre will find common ground in this twisted tale of forgotten graves, small-town grudges, and new friends." -Kirkus Reviews on A WILLING MURDER
"Deveraux's charming novel has likable characters and life-affirming second chances galore." -Publisher's Weekly on As You Wish
"Jude Deveraux's writing is enchanting and exquisite...." -BookPage
"Deveraux's touch is gold." -Publishers Weekly
Kirkus Reviews
2018-11-14
In the second installment of the Medlar Mystery series, an author and her partners-in-solving-crime investigate the murder of an elderly woman in Lachlan, Florida.
"Today, living alone is considered to be an almost criminal act," says Sara Medlar, author and amateur sleuth. Perhaps that's why Janet Beeson was found dead in her home with a knife in her chest, poison dripping from her mouth, and a bullet in her head. Other than her best friend, Sylvia Alden, who killed herself two years ago, Janet had no close friends—and no real enemies. According to all the neighbors who admit they've taunted her, vandalized her property, and called her a witch over the years, Janet hadn't done anything to deserve it. If anything, they're surprised she'd never tried to murder any of them. Sara doesn't want to get involved, but when Sheriff Daryl Flynn asks her to stop by the crime scene to take pictures, she can't get Janet's story out of her head. With the help of her niece, realtor Kate Medlar, and Jack Wyatt, the grandson of her old flame, Sara continues to poke her nose around town to find out why this supposedly sweet old lady's life went sour. And she seems to find a new scandal around every corner. Meanwhile, Kate prods the neighbors for stories about her late father, and Jack's crush on Kate remains unrequited.
Readers who are new to the series will quickly catch up. Juicy neighborhood gossip and a good dose of humor build up to a dramatic ending that's equal parts wicked and fun.
