The Mills of God

This delightful first in a new contemporary cozy series from British author Lake (the pseudonym of Dinah Lampitt) opens with the arrival of 28-year-old Nick Lawrence, the recently appointed vicar, in the quaint Sussex village of Lakehurst. The beautiful vicarage in which he's to live comes complete with a friendly ghost. Even better, Nick soon becomes enamored with lovely Olivia Beauchamp, a professional violinist from London who has a weekend cottage in Lakehurst. When someone spoils the reverend's idyll by brutally stabbing to death the couple who run the local supermarket, the dedicated and astute Det. Insp. Dominic Tennant from the nearby town of Lewes gets on the case. The inspector and Nick work closely together as the death toll mounts. Colorful characters like the ever helpful and efficient churchwarden, Mrs. Mavis Cox, add charm to a puzzle that will keep the reader guessing until the end. (July)