In Confection, Oregon summertime means tourists, and tourists mean sales. The manager of Sweet Fiction Bookshop, Lexi, is basking in the glow of a successful summer season. Things hit a snag when a real estate agent and Chamber of Commerce member, Marilyn, is found dead. Her death is ruled by natural causes, which makes sense considering her family history. But when a second Chamber member's body shows up on the porch of Lexi's best friend's brother's house, things take a turn. Rachel is also a real estate agent. One of Lexi's best friends, Terri, is devastated when her brother Dash is arrested for the second murder. Dash had dated both women in the past and had started to rekindle a relationship with Rachel.
With the help of her book club/mystery club, The Macaroons, Lexi vows to get to the bottom of who is killing off real estate agents, and clear Dash's name. The only thing standing in her way is Detective Chad Berg. Lexi's nemesis or frenemy depends on the day. As Lexi inches closer and closer to the truth, she is also inching closer to having a killer silence her for good.
A POISONOUS PAGE is a fun, engrossing read, and perfect for a weekend relaxing on the porch. This is the second installment in the Sweet Fiction Bookshop series. Hopefully, there will be many more to follow. One of the things I loved most about this book is the setting. Oregon in itself is a beautiful setting, but add the descriptiveness of the bookshop, Lexi's home, and such a fun town, it will grab your attention and not let go. The character development was perfectly done in this installment, in my opinion. We see Lexi's best friends develop their relationships. We also see another side to Detective Berg that is sure to melt some hearts. Of course, we can't forget Lexi's canine companion, Cookie, this mischievous, adorable rescue dog. The mystery itself was well plotted and even though I thought I had it figured out, I didn't.
A POISONOUS PAGE is a must-read, especially for fans of the book store genre (my favorite) of cozy mysteries. This is such a fun series and one I hope to see continue for years to come. Although this can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading book one, DIGGING UP TROUBLE. Book one was equally as entertaining and will give readers the chance to get to know these characters going into book two.
It’s summer festival time in Confection, Oregon, and that means a barrage of tourists making cash registers ring at Sweet Fiction Bookshop. But what should be bookseller Lexi’s most lucrative time of year turns disturbing when a member of the chamber of commerce suddenly dies of a heart attack. Not entirely unexpected—considering her family history—but it’s a different story when another chamber member dies just one week later…also, presumably, of natural causes.
Something about this doesn’t read right to Lexi. And it gets more unfathomable when her friend Dash—who dated both women—stands accused of murder! With Cookie, her lovable border collie mix, at her side and countless volumes of inspiration on her shelves, Lexi opens the book on another perplexing case. Who could have murdered two prominent townspeople without leaving even a hint of evidence on the scene? And why is an irksome-but-intriguing detective always seeming to catch her and Cookie working the case?
Lexi’s Confection Rose-colored glasses come off when she learns of thorny discussions among the council members, involving a string of secretive real estate transactions. Enlisting her faithful fellow members of the Macaroon Book Club, Lexi sets out to bind the clues together and clear Dash’s name. But if she can’t devise a clever trap for the real killer, she may soon end up with a very unhappily ever after of her own.