Death Takes Priority by Jean Flowers is the first book in the NEW “Postmistress” mystery series. Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime, November 2015

After caring for her dying aunt and being dumped by her fiancé, Cassie Miller decides to return to her small hometown in the Berkshires to lick her wounds and live in the house where she was raised. Leaving behind her managerial position in the Boston main postal office, Cassie trades in her tailored suits and high heels for the comfortable blue shirt and red, white, and blue striped scarf of the Postmaster for North Ashcot, Massachusetts.

Everything is business as usual until Cassie arrives at work one day to find that someone has broken into the post office building. The only items stolen: stacks of telephone books. Who steals phone books? Two days later, the body of an unidentified man is found in the woods. And when the handsome antiques dealer she just had lunch with is taken into custody, Cassie is suddenly drawn into the case. With a crime enveloped in mystery, she needs to track the killer—before another victim’s fate is sealed in the dead letter office.

This was a very enjoyable fresh new cozy that is well written with a nice pace that is easy to follow. The mystery kept me intrigued as the author deftly presented this tale in a manner that pulled me into this action-packed story that had some twists and turns that enhanced the telling of this story. It was fun meeting and getting to know all the pertinent characters that comprises the residents of North Ashcot that included our heroine, postmaster Cassie, police chief Sunni, semi-retired Ben, to name a few. I enjoyed the small town atmosphere and the friendliness of the people that was met along the way to solving a crime with surprising results. This is a welcome addition to the cozy genre and I look forward to reading more stories with Cassie and the gang.

Jean Flowers is the pseudonym of Camille Minichino