Baubles to Die For by Tonya Penrose #Cozy #Mystery

The way the lead characters are introduced and past events are discussed, I thought Baubles to Die For was two or three in the series. Then I noticed the statement in parenthesis,  A Shell Isle Mystery Book 1.

The story follows Page Wright and her cousin Betsy Ross as they unravel a mystery that falls onto their laps while vacationing on Shell Island. There was so much in the first half of the book that made it feel like I’d been reading it for weeks that when I reached that fifty percent mark, I was on the verge of boredom. But since I made it that far, I finished it. Once the clues fell into place for Page and Betsy, it went fast, and then it ended, abruptly.

All in all, it wasn’t a bad read, and I gave it 4 out of 5 Stars.

Baubles to Die For by Tonya Penrose #Cozy #Mystery Click To Tweet

About Baubles to Die For

Gifted sleuth Page Wright’s inner world is anything but ordinary, yet her outer world craves a revamp from her mountain bookshop’s continuing demands. A summer escape to her beloved cottage on Shell Isle with cousin Betsy Ross always promised fun and relaxation…until this latest holiday. Two constants exist that Page can’t escape: Betsy’s spicy culinary fiascos she’s obliged to chase with endless antacids, and the special guidance she receives from ‘inklings’ when her sleuthing gifts are needed.

While the ever-curious Page and Betsy savor lunch at the Bistro, the sleuth observes a cryptic exchange between her la-di-da neighbor, Catherine Lange, and a seedy-looking guy sitting a few feet away. Their words travel across the café’s table on a paper napkin. However, it’s the pistol passed under the table that awakens Page’s first inkling that unknown forces are conspiring to muck-up her and Betsy’s carefree sojourn.

The cousins witness subsequent sightings of Catherine, dripping in her canary diamond jewelry and making ominous threats to five people in her inner circle. On alert now that trouble lurks, Page must entice an always reluctant Betsy to help when the nudge comes to act, knowing time is pressing.