Death by Armoire: A Palmetto Antiques Mystery

Lawrenceville, S.C., writer Maureen Cooper, the emotionally intelligent and well-rounded narrator of this series launch from Bell (The Gods Help Those and six other mysteries set in Ancient Rome), is grappling with mixed emotions after the accidental death of her “cheating ex-husband,” Troy, a week earlier. Troy, who ran the Palmetto Antiques Gallery, along with their daughter, Rebecca, was found with his head crushed under an armoire. Despite his infidelity, Maureen is taken unawares by her lingering feelings for him. When she stops by the gallery and finds that it has been burgled and that someone has been rummaging through the armoire’s drawers, she begins to suspect foul play. Bell doesn’t take the plot too seriously, as shown by a comment made by a friend of Maureen’s: “This sounds like one of those movies my mama watches, with the woman playing amateur detective who gets into some really stupid situations.” Fans of Barbara Allan’s antiques series will look forward to the next book. [em](BookLife) [/em]