Author: Karen MacInernery

ISBN: 13:978-0-7387-0914-7

Natalie Barnes – the protagonist in Karen MacInernery’s cozy myster, “Dead and Berried” –  is a very busy woman.  Not only does she run The Gray Whale Inn, a bed-and-breakfast on northwesterly Cranberry Island, but she is also trying to rebuff the advances of a former fiancé while simultaneously investigating possible paranormal activity in her attic.  Oh yes, and she also has a murder case to solve.  The problem?  Natalie’s got quite a few of them, actually: she’s still attracted to her former, cheating suitor, one of her customers might be trying to put her out of business and she’s the only person – including the police – who believes the recent murder wasn’t a suicide.

Why?  For one very important reason:  the victim (and her property) was standing in the way of a major development project that many islanders, including Natalie, oppose. Many on Cranberry island have a strong opinion regarding the development project, and so friendships – including that between Natalie and her best friend Charlene – are being strained in the process

When a second murder occurs and Natalie herself becomes a prime suspect, the situation calls for desperate measures and Natalie is up to the challenge.  Will she resolve the crime before she becomes the next victim?

“Dead and Berried” is filled with suspense, humor, well-delineated characters and delicious food descriptions (recipes are – thankfully –  included in an appendix).  While the plot points are wrapped up much too quickly and easily in a  “deux ex machina” device at the book’s end, the ride to that end is delicious fun and will greatly entertain cozy mystery fans.

The above review was contributed by: Kathryn Atwood: Click Here To View More Of Kathryn's   Reviews:

Kathryn Atwood's poetry, reviews and essays have appeared in numerous online and print journals, including "The Aurora Review,", "Afterimage," "Void Magazine," "Wild Violet," and "PopMatters."  When she's not writing or driving her three kids around somewhere, she's usually teaching at a local music studio or givng vocal performances with her husband on the  subject of American song.