cover image A Killer Retreat: A Downward Dog Mystery

A Killer Retreat: A Downward Dog Mystery

Tracy Weber. Midnight Ink (www.midnightinkbooks.com), $14.99 trade paper (336p) ISBN 978-0-7387-4209-0

Weber’s entertaining second Downward Dog mystery (after 2013’s Murder Strikes a Pose) takes Seattle yoga instructor Kate Davidson to Orcas Island in Puget Sound for a working vacation. Teaching yoga classes at the Elysian Springs resort seems like a good idea, until Kate finds the body of Monica, a guest attending the wedding of resort caretakers Emmy and Josh, in the spa. Nearly everybody heartily disliked Monica, including Kate, who becomes the primary murder suspect. A quirky lawyer helps her stay out of jail for the time being, but Kate and her boyfriend, Michael, will have to find the real killer with the help of Kate’s German shepherd, Bella. Meanwhile, Bandit, an intensely annoying Jack Russell terrier, terrorizes Bella and the resort’s guests, while Monica’s distraught husband, a cranky chef, also distracts from the investigation. Cozy readers will enjoy the twist-filled plot. Agent: Margaret Bail, Inklings Literary Agency, LLC. (Jan.)