Murder on Memory Lake by J.D. Griffo is the first book in the NEW “Ferrara Family” mystery series. Publisher: Kensington, coming July 31, 2018.

For Alberta Scaglione, her golden years are turning out much more differently than she expected—and much more deadly . . .

Alberta Scaglione’ s spinster aunt had some secrets—like the fortune she squirreled away and a secret lake house in Tranquility, New Jersey. More surprising: she’s left it all to Alberta. Alberta, a widow, is no spring chicken and she’s gotten used to disappointment. So having a beautiful view, surrounded by hydrangeas, honeysuckle, and her cat, Lola, sounds blissful after years of yelling and bickering and cooking countless lasagnas.

But Tranquility isn’t as peaceful as it sounds. There’s a body in the water—and it belongs to Alberta’s childhood nemesis. Alberta suspects foul play and when Alberta’s estranged granddaughter, an aspiring crime reporter, shows up, it only makes sense for them to team up and investigate . . .

Includes Italian recipes from Alberta’s kitchen!

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This was a fun book to read with a quirky cast of characters that includes senior protagonist Alberta, her granddaughter Jinx, her sister Helen and former sister-in-law Joyce. They each played pivotal roles that enhanced the telling of this tale. And their interactions had me laughing out loud at some of the situations this group found themselves involved with. The mystery was nicely done with enough teasingly intriguing clues that kept me moving forward until I had an idea of the killer’s identity which did not prevent me from enjoying this book. The witty repartee kept the story-line moving forward adding comedic outtakes that again, created laughter on my part. The narrative was visually descriptive, make me feel a part of all the action and engaged with all aspects in how well this story was being told. A good setup and I can’t wait to read the next book in what looks to be a long-running series.

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FTC Full Disclosure – I received an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from the publisher.