In Jaffarian's delightful fifth cozy to feature supersized sleuth Odelia Grey (after 2009's Booby Trap
), Odelia wanders into a whole crop of trouble when she discovers her long-lost mom, Grace, bent over a dead body in a Massachusetts corn maze. Surely Grace is no killer, but the woman's ornery refusal to speak has plenty of the local folks wondering. There's no mushy reconciliation after 34 years, but Odelia realizes her mom needs her, and she's determined to glean the truth from a growing list of highly questionable characters. Odelia soon gets another shock: the discovery that she has two half-brothers, both cops and neither overly excited to meet her. Enter Willie Proctor (aka Carter)—fugitive, con man, and dependable friend—to keep an eye on Odelia and help return her safely home to California, but not before bringing in Greg, her handsome paraplegic husband, as backup. Jaffarian keeps getting better and better at blending humor, suspense, and romance. (Feb.)
