Plaster and Poison by Jennie Bentley is the third book in the “Do-It-Yourself” mystery series. Publisher: Berkley (Prime Crime), March 2010
Avery’s friend, bed and breakfast owner Kate McGillicutty, is finally getting hitched to police chief Wayne Rasmussen. They’ve asked Avery and her boyfriend, Derek, to renovate an old carriage house behind the B and B. It’s a daunting task, especially since Avery’s mother is arriving in town for a lengthy stay (and to judge—ahem—meet Derek), but Avery’s excited to remake the seen-better-days carriage house into a romantic Parisian-style retreat.
But the course of home repair never did run smooth, even if sanders are involved. One day at the carriage house, Avery stumbles across a lifeless body admist the paint cans and plaster. It turns out that the murder victim was someone Kate knew all too well. All of a sudden, this small town is abuzz with big suspicions, and Avery realizes she must unravel the mysterious murder before Kate can tie the knot.
Avery and Derek are renovating the carriage house for Kate and Wayne’s upcoming wedding when a body is discovered on the second level. When Derek’s step-sister goes missing, it becomes apparent that both incidents are connected. With markings on a wall, a dead body and a missing person and Avery’s mom visiting, will Avery and Derek solve this in time for the nuptials? This was the best story of the series. It was fun to see Avery and her friends again and meeting her mom. My rating: 4 stars
Pseudonym of Bente Gallagher