Murder Half Baked by Kathleen Delaney is the fourth book in the “Ellen McKenzie” mystery series. Publisher: Camel Press, May 2011
A DEAD MAN IN THE CEMETERY, ANOTHER IN THE BAKERY.
Old Dr. Sadler is dead in the cemetery, his head bashed in by the arm of a marble angel. Ellen McKenzie has to find the killer soon … before another death puts a stop to her wedding. Dan Dunham, the groom, is Santa Louisa’s Chief of Police. The guest list is growing and Ellen’s dreams of an intimate candlelight ceremony are rapidly disappearing.A HOUSE GOES UP IN FLAMES.
When Grace House, a halfway house for women, goes up in flames, Ellen invites them all–including a newborn–to move in with her and Dan. As a real estate agent, Ellen hopes to find a new building, yet every suspect is connected to Grace House. Are Ellen and Dan in danger? Will they ever solve the murders and get their lives back?
The body of a local doctor is found and Ellen wonders if his murder is connected to residents of the halfway house that is looking to move to a new building. Things become more critical when the halfway house is set on fire and the list of suspects has now doubled and Ellen is determined to find the people responsible, not only for the safety of the residents, but for her own family. From the first sentence to the last paragraph, I could not put this book down. This page-turning mystery kept my attention as the story played out with many of the pieces coming together in a surprising twist. With strong characters, great conversations and intriguing storylines, this is the best one yet in this charming series.