National Network for Equitable Library Service

When Wendall Clarke announces plans to open a new art gallery downtown, it's both the talk of Celosia, North Carolina and the envy of its residents. But the news is upstaged when Clarke is found murdered, prompting beauty queen turned private investigator Madeline Maclin to take on the case. Faced with a laundry list of suspects—including a furious ex-wife, a competing business owner, and jealous local artists—Madeline's also struggling to keep her con man husband, Jerry Fairweather, out of handcuffs. If Jerry wasn't enough trouble on his own, enter Honor Perkins, dead set on luring him back into a life of crime. Between foiling Perkins' plans, stabilizing her marriage, and possibly being pregnant, Madeline juggles her responsibilities as she races to solve the crime before the killer strikes again—or her life falls apart.