A Midsummer Night’s Scheme
Just when everything is returning to the calm that Quinn Caine and her sidekicks, Ruff Barker Ginsburg and Sister Daria, are used to in their beloved town of Vienna, a Broadway star crash-lands into their peace and quiet. Former ‘player’ Chad Frivole is Vienna’s prodigal son, the once-notorious lothario has returned as a Broadway star, ready to make a different kind of mark on his hometown.
Not everyone is celebrating the Tony-award-winner’s return. Chad’s a triple threat, with a cast of characters lining up to seek their revenge on him. So, when he turns up dead in his car, trapped with a sack full of snakes, Quinn can’t say she’s surprised but promises handsome detective Aiden Harrington that she’s staying out of this local mystery.
That is until someone starts threatening her brother’s life. It’s true; Sebastian ‘Bash’ Caine used to be a womanizer, just like Chad. And the killer doesn’t seem to care that he’s not that man anymore. Bash Caine is in the killer’s sights, and unless Quinn and her crew can find the killer in time, whoever it is will drag her brother into his final act on this mortal coil.
The Details
Series: A Bookbinding Mystery – Book #2
Author: Harper Kincaid
Genre/Category: Cozy – Amateur Sleuth/ Business
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
ISBN: 1643856308
Page Count: 288
Rating: 
The Review
A Midsummer Night’s Scheme is the second book in the “Bookbinding Mystery” series. A hometown lothario returns as a big star, but unfortunately for him, many of the women he used and left behind are still around, and perhaps one of them decided that his womanizing days are over and make certain he gets the message with a bag full of poisonous snakes.
I don’t like snakes or lotharios, and frankly, the way the victim dies creeped me out! It’s probably one of the worst and most original forms of murder I have come across in a cozy. It definitely made the book unforgettable. The characters from book one have all returned, along with Quinn’s lovable fur babies (yes, I called them fur babies, and if people don’t like the term, I really don’t care!). The story allows us to learn more about Quinn and her family while leaving room for growth and world-building in future books. These characters and suspects all have dominant personalities and traits that make them come alive in the reader’s mind. I am especially fond of Quinn’s brother, Bash. The evidence is everywhere and is overwhelming. The finger of guilt points in a specific direction that is just a little too easy, and some readers may find that they need to go back and redirect their thinking.
Tracking down a killer who uses snakes as a weapon isn’t easy; the person is heartless and has no fear of killing more people if needed. The victim was considered a bad guy, but he didn’t deserve to die. Eventually, Quinn finds the lothario killer, but not without getting herself almost killed. This made for an exciting read that had me cringing at times and smiling at others. I can’t wait for the next book, but please, no more snakes!
The Author
Born in California and raised in South Florida, Harper Kincaid has moved around like a nomad with a bounty on her head ever since. After earning her master’s degree in Gender History and another in Clinical/Macro Social Work, Kincaid decided not to use either and become a writer instead. When not being a busy wife and mother, you can find her at her favorite local book shop, Bards Alley, where she conjured her latest romance. Contact Harper on social media or her website.
Readers will want to check out the first book in this series, To Kill A Mocking Girl.
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