I’ve read a couple of mysteries by prolific author Lynn Cahoon already this year. Each new one deserves to be my favourite of her several series. MURDER IN WAITING is part of the Tourist Trap Mystery series, in which a bookstore owner who really runs a bookstore and really reads, which isn’t always the case in cozy mysteries, helps to solve crimes. Jill Gardner runs Coffee, Books, & More, in the town of South Cove, California. This adventure also takes us to Las Vegas, because Jill’s friend Amy is getting married and wants Jill to organise a girls’ trip… I wasn’t sure how the change of venue would work, but it turns out very well, even if Jill is the sort who’d rather read than gamble.

Regular readers will recall that the Spanish heritage of the coastal town includes a historic Mission, and the back wall of Jill’s garden is considered part of that Mission. Lacking documentation, Jill has applied to the South Cove Heritage Society for a formal listing. She’s reluctant to lose privacy to tourists, but she feels it’s important to preserve heritage. Frank Gleason, a quiet-living historian from the Society, tells Jill he’ll have news, but falls victim to a hit and run. Since this comes right after a land developer has made a play for Jill’s home to develop a splash resort, we’ve got a clear line to investigate. Developers for tacky setups are everyone’s favourite villain. But Frank turns out to have led a complex private life. Jill and her partner Greg King, a workaholic but very pleasant police officer, explore all the options, including a mysterious campaign aimed at closing Jill’s bookshop.   

Since Jill is personally involved in the outcome of this investigation it makes perfect sense for her to be sleuthing, and she still gets time to enjoy her partner, dog, food, family and friends. The once-divorced lady is busy ordering and organising books and events for her store, but she has competent help, including Deek, a student who excels at computer searches. And I’m glad to see the book business is thriving. Fiction it may be, but we book-lovers need to read. Lynn Cahoon tends to write ‘as it happens’ mysteries, with all the minutiae of the day, including her sleuth making lists of suspects and their stories, or in some cases, lies. The characters are by now well established, so with the lively MURDER IN WAITING we get to see the development of their lives, including a romance or two and reminders that life may be short so we should enjoy our time. Enjoy your read, as this is one of the most intelligent cosy crime series around today.