Death By Design 9 (Josiah Reynolds Mysteries)

     Josiah Reynolds opened her front door to find her neighbor, Sandy Sloan, clutching her little dog, Georgie.  “Hi Josiah.  Sorry to bother you.  Can you keep my dog for a couple of days while I check on my mother?  She’s ill and needs help.”

Josiah reluctantly said yes, not because she didn’t want to take care of the animal.  She had plenty of room for a little dog like Georgie.  She was reluctant because she knew Sandy’s mother couldn’t possibly be ill.  Her mother was, in fact, dead. 

     Josiah knew this because she had attended the woman’s funeral. 

     Why would Sandy tell such a lie?  And a stupid lie at that.  Was Sandy trying to signal she was in distress and needed help?  Josiah had no way of knowing that in four hours, Sandy would disappear from the face of the earth, and no one–not even Josiah–would be able to find her.

Josiah joins an amateur thespian group that puts on plays in quirky places like public parks and crumbling antebellum mansions. It is a way to socialize, and Josiah feels lonely when her friend Hunter stops calling. Since the new play is being staged at Hunter’s ancestral home Wickliffe Manor, Josiah sees this as a win-win situation. She gets to have fun and remind Hunter that she is still alive and kicking. Hint. Hint.

What could go wrong? Everything!

Hunter ignores the acting group including Josiah, and it doesn’t help when the leading lady, Madison Smythe, drops dead on Hunter’s antique Persian rug. To make matters worse, Franklin, Hunter’s brother, is arrested for her murder!

Josiah does the only thing she can. She sends an S.O.S. to her daughter Asa to investigate the murder. Asa must also discover why a love note from Hunter was found in the dead woman’s coat pocket. Josiah is ready for romance, but she doesn’t want to fall in love with a cheater.

After her husband dies, Lydia Krause sells her company and moves to an upscale retirement community on Long Island to start a new life. At her first Twin Lakes event, she meets the community’s financial advisor, whom she recognizes as the convicted embezzler who drove her sister to suicide. After exchanging heated words with the man's wife, Lydia flees the scene. When the woman is found dead the following morning, Detective Sol Molina considers Lydia Suspect Number One. 

Lydia undertakes an investigation to clear her name. More Twin Lake residents are murdered, and she’s determine to find the killer. At the same time, she must deal with issues concerning her two daughters. Her younger daughter surprises her with news that she’s engaged and planning to move to England. Her married older daughter appears to be having an affair with an old boyfriend, the very person who might be the Twin Lakes killer. Romance is in the air as Lydia and Detective Molina spar then join forces to stop the murderer before Lydia becomes Victim Number Three. 

When young attorney Becky Baldwin hires Cora Felton to make a blackmail payment drop, it couldn't go worse: she stumbles over a corpse and a puzzle, and someone steals the money. Becky
won't tell her who the client is, but the most likely suspect is Cora's least favorite ex-husband, Melvin, who claims he's being framed by a psychopath with a grudge. Soon Cora finds herself in a no-win situation. Solving the murder will either put Melvin's neck in the noose, or incur the wrath of a cunning, cold-blooded killer who delights in playing deadly mind games and may be targeting her niece Sherry and Sherry's new baby girl.

$10,000 in Small, Unmarked Puzzles is another delightful entry in Parnell Hall's entertaining Puzzle Lady series, featuring new puzzles by Will Shortz that help readers solve the mystery!

     Josiah Reynolds opened her front door to find her neighbor, Sandy Sloan, clutching her little dog, Georgie.  “Hi Josiah.  Sorry to bother you.  Can you keep my dog for a couple of days while I check on my mother?  She’s ill and needs help.”

Josiah reluctantly said yes, not because she didn’t want to take care of the animal.  She had plenty of room for a little dog like Georgie.  She was reluctant because she knew Sandy’s mother couldn’t possibly be ill.  Her mother was, in fact, dead. 

     Josiah knew this because she had attended the woman’s funeral. 

     Why would Sandy tell such a lie?  And a stupid lie at that.  Was Sandy trying to signal she was in distress and needed help?  Josiah had no way of knowing that in four hours, Sandy would disappear from the face of the earth, and no one–not even Josiah–would be able to find her.

Death By Bourbon:  Life takes a dramatic turn for Josiah when she witnesses a death at an engagement party for Matt, her best friend.

Charming socialite Addison DeWitt falls into a fit after taking a sip of bourbon. That would be upsetting enough, but Josiah is sure it is murder. However, no one will believe her except for Lady Elsmere and Meriah Caldwell, the famous mystery writer. The three of them conspire to bring the murderer to justice. It turns out the suspect is always three steps ahead of them.

To make matters worse, Josiah's daughter, Asa decides to move to London, Franklin leaves town, and Jake starts singing a different tune. Josiah doubts her ability to meet the future alone. Maybe it's time to sell the Butterfly and move to Florida with the rest of the old folks.

But Josiah is sure of one thing. There is justice and then there is Kentucky justice.

Death By Lotto:  Ethel Bradley thinks someone is trying to kill her, but doesn’t know who or why. She enlists the help of her childhood friend, Lady Elsmere, but Lady Elsmere has troubles of her own in the form of a ne’er-do-well English nephew who’s trying to steal her estate. Both women turn to Josiah Reynolds, who has just returned from New York.

Josiah calls Detective Goetz who recommends a shamus named Walter Neff. Walter and Josiah scour the Bluegrass for answers that turn out to be deadly. To make matters worse for Josiah, Fred O’nan (the rogue cop who tried to kill Josiah in Death By A HoneyBee) is a free man and still gunning for her.

Josiah, full of sass and vinegar, meets these challenges head on with the support of her friends, Franklin and Matt. Will Josiah be thwarted this time?

Kentucky can be a cruel mistress to those wanting justice and exacts a high price for it. Sometimes the “dark and bloody ground” demands double indemnity. This is something Josiah knows very well. Very well indeed.

Death By Chocolate:  Josiah Reynolds is tracking down the disappearance of an old friend’s son. But while she is chasing a missing person, O’nan is hot on Josiah’s trail chasing her. And he is threatening, conniving, and blackmailing others to help destroy the woman he thinks ruined his life. Will he finally succeed?

Or will Josiah outwit him as she has always done?

One thing is for sure . . . when Josiah and O’nan finally clash at the Cumberland Falls, will justice will be done? As Josiah always says - there is the law and then there is Kentucky justice.

Will Josiah survive the thundering and treacherous waters of the Cumberland Falls or will O'nan finally push our brave Josiah over the edge?