Shadows on a Maine Christmas: An Antique Print Mystery

Wait’s seventh outing for New Jersey antique dealer Maggie Summer (after 2013’s Shadows on a Cape Cod Wedding), in which Maggie visits her boyfriend, Will, in Maine over Christmas, is as frothy as eggnog. Maggie is an incessant worrier. She worries her plans to adopt a child will hurt her relationship with Will. She worries while watching him care for his ailing Aunt Nettie and attempt to purchase a waterfront Victorian. For variety, she worries that Will is attracted to his realtor, Jo Heartwood. The book’s mystery is late to emerge: the murder of Carrie Folk, a nurse employed by one of Aunt Nettie’s elderly friends. Together with State Trooper Nick Strait, Maggie and Nettie try to determine if Carrie’s side occupation—blackmail—led to her death. The book’s highlights are its loving descriptions of the Maine winter and the area’s strong sense of community. (Sept.)