Dru’s Short Musing:
This was an enjoyable story that I could not put down until all was said and done.
This fast-paced and well written drama had a solidly wicked storyline that kept me intrigued throughout the telling of this whodunit. The writing was crisp and the tone was comfortable making it easy to follow the path the author has set. The mystery was nicely presented with the murder victim, the pool of suspects, a few twists to keep me engaged in what was happening on the page, and of course Poly investigating to find the person responsible. As the story moved forward and the more it intensified, the more I became invested in what was at play among the various scenarios and the pursuit of justice. When I thought I had a handle of the killer, the author changed direction which enhanced how well this story was being told and my reading pleasure. Overall, this was a terrific read and I look forward to more exciting adventures with Poly and her friends.
Series Name: A “Material Witness” Mystery, Book 6
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Release: October 28, 2025
Format: Print, Digital
Purchase Link
Book Synopsis:
It’s curtains for somebody at the reading of the will…
Poly Monroe never expected to inherit anything from Reginald Villamere, the recently deceased millionaire who preserved San Ladron’s historic movie theater. As the owner of the town’s fabric shop, Poly never knew the theater owner—but her relatives, who left her the fabric shop—did. When his thirty-year-old will names them among the beneficiaries, Poly finds herself thrust into a mystery—one that turns deadly when one of Villamere’s lawyers is found murdered in a theater storage room after the will reading concludes.
Town residents are more abuzz over the will than the murder of a stranger, and rumors ensue. The historical society contests the will, determined to wrest control of the theater for themselves. The Villamere’s most devoted employee, who spent years tending to the old playhouse, has been snubbed. Another staff member is keeping his past neatly folded away, hoping no one pulls at the wrong thread. And the murdered lawyer may have had his own secret: a hidden connection to an heir no one saw coming.
As suspicion stitches into every corner of the small California town, Poly must rely on her eye for patterns and her knack for unraveling the truth. But the closer she gets to mending the gaps in this case, the more she risks becoming the next victim in a plot tailored for murder.
FTC Full Disclosure – I received a digital ARC of this book from the author.