Through the Liquor Glass

In Fox’s unconvincing fifth Literary Pub mystery (after 2021’s Claret and Present Danger), Inkwell pub owner Sadie Coleman observes an ugly confrontation between ruthless food critic Dominique Girard and former restaurateur George Keeler in a coffee shop in Shady Creek, Vt. When Dominique turns up dead, Sadie discovers that several residents besides George and some town visitors had an unpleasant history with Dominique, including Sadie’s boyfriend, Grayson Blake, a brewery proprietor and former PI who suspected the food critic of involvement in a case of suspicious death. As the police seem ready to cast Grayson as top suspect, he goes into hiding, leaving Sadie to delve into likely perpetrators and any potential links between Dominique’s murder and his connection to that suspicious death. Far-fetched scenarios and a culprit without a plausible motive make for a less than ideal reading experience. Hopefully, Sadie’s next outing will be more rewarding. Agent: Jessica Faust, BookEnds Literary. (Dec.)