Skinny Dipping with Murder by Auralee Wallace is the first book in the NEW “Otter Lake” mystery series. Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks, March 2016

Welcome to Otter Lake, where the relaxing, restorative atmosphere is to die for.

Erica Bloom is in no rush to return to Otter Lake, the site of her mother’s spiritual retreat for women. Erica met her inner goddess years ago and she’s happy to have forged a new identity on her own, thank you very much. But her new-age-y, well-meaning mother is losing her grip on the business, and needs Erica’s help. So she heads back to her New Hampshire hometown, where nothing much has changed-except for maybe the body in the well. . .

SKINNY DIPPING WITH MURDER
When Erica was a teenager, she fell prey to a practical joke that left her near-naked in Otter Lake’s annual Raspberry Social. The incident was humiliating, but it wasn’t like anyone got killed-until now. Those who were behind that long-ago prank are starting to turn up dead, and Erica’s appearance in town makes her a prime suspect. To make matters worse, the town sheriff just happens to be Erica’s old nemesis, Grady Forrester. . .who also happens to be hotter than ever. Can Erica find a way to dig up the truth-before someone digs her grave?

This is a light and fast-paced drama that pulled me in immediately for a ride that was fun, hilarious and full of non-stop action escapades that was a joy to watch. Erica comes back to Otter Lake and the memories comes back to haunt her and when she finds a dead body, she along with a minion of friends set out to clear her name and restore her sanity.

Yeah, what a riot that her life has become and within the pages, the author kept me entertained and engaged throughout this excitedly new series. The set-up, the plot, the interactions, the quirky and eccentrically amusing cast of characters enhanced the telling of this tale and with a myriad of suspects, I had to keep reading until both Erica and I figured out the identity of the person responsible for what was going on and the murder and what a fun discovery that was. This is a fun and amusing read and I like how this book ended with new adventures yet to come. I had such a great time with Erica, Freddie, Grady, Summer and the townsfolk of Otter Lake and I look forward to more hilarity in the next book in this delightfully amusing series.