Magnolia Moonlight

Beth Kirby is an ex-cop turned PI with a past she’d like to forget, and training nerdy accountant Michael Preston is the last thing she wants to do. When their boss, Nate Price, goes on his honeymoon in Bay St. Louis Miss., she and Michael are left to partner up on a case featuring a pastor who committed suicide and embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from his church. The reverend’s widow, however, believes her husband was murdered and demands the truth be found. Despite her emphatic beliefs, the evidence points in all the wrong places. Meanwhile, Nate’s romantic getaway takes an unexpected turn with the appearance of his wife’s ex-husband. Fearing he may be relapsing into his gambling addiction, Nate does his best to help the struggling man, unaware of his larger problems. While the honeymooners deal with their unwelcome guest, Beth and Michael investigate the suspicious pastor’s death . Ellis’s (What Happened on Beale Street) tightly plotted mystery is exciting and involved. The humorous banter between Beth and Michael keeps the story light, and the growth of their relationship feels natural alongside the more remarkable circumstances of the pastor’s death. A fine balance of suspense and romance. [em]Agent: Mary Sue Seymour, The Seymour Agency (Aug.) [/em]