Overkilt

November in Moosetookalook, Maine, can be a slow time for tourists, as shown by Dunnett’s winning 12th Liss MacCrimmon Scottish mystery (after 2017’s X Marks the Scot). To drum up business, the Spruces, a Victorian-era hotel owned by Liss’s father-in-law, advertises a kids-free Thanksgiving special for parents, which immediately creates a social media storm. The conservative New Age Pilgrims, who regard this decision as an affront to family values, plan to march in protest. When someone fatally stabs one of the pilgrims during a large demonstration, too many clues point to Liss’s aunt, who has a secret past with the group, as the prime suspect. Cautious Liss, the proprietor of the scenic town’s Scottish Emporium, joins her spunky mom, Vi, in trying to identify the real culprit. Against her better judgment, she confronts the pilgrims multiple times on their own turf. En route to the surprising solution, Dunnett successfully keeps the mystery cozy while not shying away from thought-provoking cultural issues. [em]Agent: Christina Hogrebe, Jane Rotrosen Agency. (Nov.) [/em]