The White Magic Five and Dime: A Tarot Mystery

Cozy readers with a taste for humor will welcome this hilarious series debut from Edgar finalist Hockensmith (Holmes on the Range) and Falco (A Mother’s Promise). Alanis McLachlan has literally no fond memories of her con-woman mother, Barbra, and has not spoken with her for decades. So it’s a double shock when Alanis learns that Barbra was murdered in Berdache, Ariz.—and that her will leaves everything to Alanis, including a shop called the White Magic Five & Dime. Curious, she travels from Chicago to the small town, where she’s intrigued by her mother’s latest scheme to separate fools from their money—a tarot card-reading operation. The search for the identity of the person who strangled Barbra elicits threats to Alanis herself, who also finds time to get sweet on a local lawman. Readers will eagerly await the next installment. Josh Getzler, Hannigan Salky Getzler Agency. (July)