Beauty and the Deceased (A Resale Boutique Mystery)
Cozy Mystery
4th in Series
Setting – New York
Lyrical Press (December 14, 2021)
Paperback : 191 pages
ISBN-10 : 1516111036
ISBN-13 : 978-1516111039
Kindle ASIN : B092LH3FBZ
Kelly Quinn’s Long Island consignment shop offers high style at secondhand prices—but when a body is found on the beach, she needs to start hunting for a wolf in sheep’s clothing . . .
Kelly is thrilled when she gets a visit from a cousin she hasn’t seen in years. Becky’s cosmetics company is taking off, and she just might have laid the foundation for a big-money buyout. It’s a time to celebrate—but Kelly is heartbroken when a killer puts an end to their happy reunion during a mysterious midnight meeting near the shore.
Despite multiple warnings to steer clear, Kelly starts shadowing a variety of suspects both inside and outside the beauty business—when she isn’t busy filling the racks of the Lucky Cove Resale Boutique with lots of new inventory from a local shopaholic. Gossip and accusations are flying, but there’s no glossing over this ugly crime, and she’s going to make sure the culprit faces justice…
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Things are hopping at the Lucky Cove Resale Boutique. A local shopaholic has decided to purge her purchases and Kelly is thrilled to help her do it.
Kelly is also excited about her cousin coming to visit. She hasn’t seen Becky in years but like Kelly, she has been building her business. Becky’s is on a much grander scale. Her cosmetic company may even get bought out by a huge company meaning Becky could receive some serious money.
The girls get together with some family and friends to celebrate. After a fun evening, Becky and Kelly make plans for the next morning but Becky fails to arrive. Kelly heads to the beach house Becky is renting and she makes a heartbreaking discovery. Her cousin is dead and it wasn’t an accident. Kelly immediately starts forming a list of suspects and asking questions. Even several warnings can’t get her to stop investigating. She will not stop until the person that killed her cousin is behind bars. Hopefully, she lives to see the day.
I love Kelly. She is a fun protagonist but she was hit with a lot this time. Losing her cousin and a reveal that could mean losing a true friend. She is surrounded by a lot of good people and I enjoy the way they have continued to develop over the course of this series. Pepper really stepped in to take care of the shop and provided a shoulder for Kelly to lean on. Pepper was Kelly’s grandmother’s friend and right hand at the shop and now she is that for Kelly. Liv is Kelly’s best friend but with her relationship with the police chief growing by the minute, she isn’t the best sleuthing partner. Ariel is usually up for anything Kelly needs but she is out of town. Her cat, Howard is a good listener but his backup skills may be a little lacking.
I really felt for Kelly as she tried to unravel the mystery of who killed her cousin. There are several viable suspects and I appreciated the way Kelly goes the extra mile to track down every possible clue and theory. I had a couple of people in my sights and went back and forth until the very end.
There are some mental health issues that play into the story. I was a little put off by the way some of these issues were handled but I think that made me more invested in the story and sad at the end.
Beauty and the Deceased featured an intriguing mystery and interesting characters. I am excited to get reading the next book in the series, Sleuthing in Stilettos because there is a cliffhanger at the end of this book foreshadowing some drama ahead.
Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent
Debra Sennefelder is an avid reader who reads across a range of genres, but mystery fiction is her obsession. Her interest in people and relationships is channeled into her novels against a backdrop of crime and mystery.
Her first novel, THE UNINVITED CORPSE (A Food Blogger mystery) was published in 2018. When she’s not reading, she enjoys cooking and baking and as a former food blogger, she is constantly taking photographs of her food. Yeah, she’s that person.
Born and raised in New York City, where she majored in her hobby of fashion buying, she now lives and writes in Connecticut with her family. She worked in retail and publishing before becoming a full-time author. Her writing companion is her adorable and slightly spoiled Shih Tzu, Connie.
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The Rest of the Series



Coming December 6, 2022

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”