Death Climbs a Tree

""I can't play the concert,"" violinist Sylvia Purcell informs Joan Spencer, the Oliver Civic Symphony manager, at the start of Frommer's sixth Joan Spencer mystery (after 2002's Witness in Bishop Hill). ""I have to sit in a tree."" Sylvia's protest against the development of a wooded area for low-income housing turns deadly when she falls out of the tree in front of Joan and her son, Andrew. Evidence Joan finds points quickly to murder, with Andrew a prime suspect. Joan's husband, police detective Fred Lundquist, doggedly pursues the case, which is complicated by mysterious nocturnal lights in the woods. Meanwhile, amateur sleuth Joan's nosing around leads her to a dangerous confrontation with the killer. Low-key suspense and likable characters make this an enjoyable, if not compelling, read for cozy fans.