A Bad Reputation

January 1, 2014
Former beauty queen Madeline Maclin and her reforming con-man husband, Jerry Fairweather, are renovating their home in Celosia, North Carolina. Madeline is building her PI business and trying to keep Jerry on the straight and narrow by having him use his musical talent in the community-theater production of Oklahoma. It seems to be working until he gets a mysterious letter from Honor Perkins, a former partner in crime, who is trying to lure him back into the game. While dealing with this, Madeline also gets involved with the local art guild, whose members are sniping at one another while hoping to have their work exhibited at the new gallery that wealthy entrepreneur Wendall Clarke is planning to open. When he breezes into town with his new trophy wife, Flora, his ex-wife, Larissa Norton, is furious. Wendall's mysterious death leaves no shortage of suspects in its wake. Can Madeline solve the case before the killer strikes again? Can Jerry stay out of trouble? Is Madeline pregnant? This humorous mystery will appeal to those who enjoy small-town crime.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)