Peaches and Schemes: A Georgia B&B Mystery

In Gerard’s easy-going third Georgia B&B mystery (after 2020’s Peachy Scream), kind, good-natured Nina Fleet, owner of Fleet House, a bed-and-breakfast in Cymbeline, Ga., decides to increase her income by offering Fleet House as a venue for weddings. To this end, she participates in the third annual Veils and Vanities Bridal Expo. Nina is grateful for the help and encouragement of new friend Roxanna Quarry, an event planner and “the queen of all things wedding.” At the end of the bridal gown fashion show, an oversize faux wedding cake is rolled onto the runway. When it’s opened, a lifeless Roxanna falls out with a scarf wrapped around her neck. With the aid of her handsome tenant Harry Westcott, an unemployed actor, Nina sets out to catch the killer. Along the way, she discovers that Roxanna often bent the truth to breaking point. Harry proves to be an unusual potential love interest, and pleasant characters compensate for the rushed ending. Cozy fans will find plenty to like. [em]Agent: Josh Getzler, HG Literary. (May) [/em]