Shades of Wrath by Karen Rose Smith is the sixth book in the “Caprice De Luca” mystery series. Publisher: Kensington, November 2016

Between her booming business, her family, and her work rescuing stray animals, home stager Caprice De Luca’s life is packed. But when a murder unsettles peaceful Kismet, Pennsylvania, she adds amateur sleuth to her resume.

Thanks to a wealthy patron, Kismet’s women’s shelter, Sunshine Tomorrow, has inherited a run-down mansion. Now the shelter’s director, Wendy Newcomb, wants Caprice’s decorating expertise. Caprice is happy to help, but when she glimpses a few heated encounters between Wendy and some locals, she fears that Wendy may be in need of protection herself.

When Wendy is found dead inside the old house, Caprice is compelled to poke around in her affairs–and discovers she had her share of enemies. Now, with countless clients, a TV gig that could make her a household name, and rumors of a marriage proposal on its way, Caprice must find time to design an investigation that will lure a crafty killer into the wide open–before someone else winds up in a state of permanent disrepair.

Once again, the author delivers in her latest caper featuring Caprice De Luca. This is a well-staged book with multiple settings that when pieced together created an exciting story filled with murder, mayhem and family dynamics. The mystery was played out as it should with suspects, clues and some very intriguing plot twists that captured the essence of what was happening on the page. I like that the author created a friendly book where all the main characters play a pivotal role in the identification of the murderer. As part of this continuing saga, in this book, the author touches on domestic violence. Bonus to me is the growing relationship between Caprice and Grant, those scenes put a smile on my face. This was a fast-paced with a comfortable tone that became a page-turner as I had to know how this will end. Boasting a wonderful cast of characters, engaging dialogue and an overall feeling of goodness, I can’t wait to read the next book in this terrific series.