DON'T TAKE ANY WOODEN NICKELS

A likable protagonist and a fresh, carefully crafted plot make this debut in a new mystery series an enjoyable, albeit occasionally preachy, romp for the CBA market. Recently widowed PI Callie Webber, who takes solace in quiet canoe trips on Chesapeake Bay and does volunteer work in her free time with indigent women, lands in the thick of a murder investigation after the body of a client's boyfriend turns up in the trunk of the client's car. The key to solving the case seemingly lies in a promotional wooden nickel. The author occasionally tells instead of shows, and the faith passages can feel forced (God, for example, is touted as "the Master Paddler"), but the novel finishes on a strong and surprising note. (Jan.)