Bitter Brew: A Savannah Reid Mystery

In McKevett’s poignant 24th Savannah Reid mystery (after 2018’s Hide and Sneak), PI Savannah of the Moonlight Magnolia Detective Agency in San Carmelita, Calif., looks into the suspicious death of Brianne Marston, who suffered from a debilitating disease. Brianne supposedly took her own life after asking a childhood friend, medical examiner Jennifer Liu, to falsify her autopsy results, thereby keeping her suicide a secret. But after Jennifer discovers the same drug mixture that killed Brianne in another body, the doctor comes to believe Brianne was murdered. A few folks, such as Brianne’s fiancé and her brother, stood to benefit from her fortune, but Savannah and her associates believe something more complex is at the heart of the case. Meanwhile, Savannah’s policeman hubby, Det. Sgt. Dirk Coulter, is acting squirrelly, leading her to believe he’s keeping a terrible secret. Clever banter adds levity to an emotionally taxing mystery, and Savannah’s Granny Reid offers her earthy wisdom and a shoulder to cry on. Fans of darker cozies will be well satisfied. Agent: Richard Curtis, Richard Curtis Assoc. (May)