Murderous Mayhem at Honeychurch Hall

Cozy fans who like their mysteries set in small communities where a feud over the pruning of a rose bush is front-page news will welcome Dennison’s fourth Honeychurch Hall whodunit set in Devon (after 2016’s A Killer Ball at Honeychurch Hall). Kat Stanford, the star of the TV show Fakes & Treasures, was hoping to open an antique shop in London with her eccentric mother, Iris, an author of bestselling romances, but Iris’s impulsive decision to buy the carriage house on the Honeychurch Hall estate near Little Dipperton has forced a change in plans. Despite her initial disappointment, Kat is now content to reside in the Devonshire countryside. Unfortunately, her love life is less than satisfactory; her one and only date with heartthrob Det. Insp. Shawn Cropper ended when he became ill. A series of thefts in the area adds a little tension, as does the disappearance of Iris’s latest manuscript (of which there’s only one copy), but those expecting much sleuthing may be disappointed. Agent: Dominick Abel, Dominick Abel Literary Agency. (May)