Stone Cold Dead: A Rock Shop Mystery

Dilts’s enjoyable debut, set in the touristy Colorado mountain town of Golden Springs, finds recently widowed, middle-aged Morgan Iverson agreeing to watch her brother Kendall’s rundown rock shop, the Rock of Ages, during his two-week mission trip to Central America. Morgan soon learns that Kendall has no plans to return, leaving her permanently in charge of the shop and its two resident donkeys, Houdini and Adelaide. While rounding up her new charges, Morgan discovers a dead teenage girl in a Goth outfit, but when she returns with help, the corpse has vanished. Suddenly the talk of the town, Morgan finds herself getting attention from Piers Townsend, the handsome owner of the local “metaphysical shop.” However, a zoning debate among local shop owners leads her to question his and others’ motives around town. Readers will look forward to seeing more of this endearing and strong protagonist. (Dec.)