A Fatal Collection by Mary Ellen Hughes

Callie Reed makes a long overdue visit to her aunt Melodie, who lives in a fairy-tale cottage in quaint Keepsake Cove, home to a bevy of unique collectible shops on Maryland's Eastern Shore. Just as they're beginning to reconnect, Callie discovers her aunt's body on the floor of her music box shop. Grief-stricken, Callie finds she can't accept Melodie's death being called accidental. How could her strong and healthy aunt take such a fatal fall? And why was she there in the middle of the night?

 

As Callie searches for the truth, signs seem to come from her late aunt through a favorite music box, urging Callie on. Or are they warnings? If Callie isn't careful, she could meet a similar deadly fate amid Melodie's collection.

 

Series: Keepsake Cove Mystery #1| Publisher: Midnight Ink | Release Date: 11/7/2017 | Genre: Cozy Mystery | Source: Publisher | Rating: 4.5 Cups

 

I have a feeling this series is going to be one of my favorites. It’s cozy, friendly, charming, and quirky with unique characters and a fictional town I would love to visit.

 

Here’s what’s going on. Needing to clear her head, Callie Reed decides it’s time to reconnect with her aunt Melodie. Although their reunion is cut short when Callie discovers her aunt dead on the floor of her music box shop. Callie’s left wondering if her aunt’s death was truly accidental and now that she’s inherited her aunt’s shop and cottage, she’s able to search for the answers while getting acquainted with her new neighbors.

 

What drew me to this book was how unique the setting was. Not only was it different, I just loved the idea of a town full of unique collectable shops and it reminds me of a little town I like to visit that’s street after street of antique and collectable shops.

 

As this is the start of a new series, the first half of the book focuses on setting up the town and the characters with the mystery in the background but, thankfully, it didn’t drag and it held my attention.

 

I really liked Callie. She has some stuff going on in her life that she’s working through then she’s hit with the death of her aunt. Now she has her hands full trying to run a music box shop, figuring out who murdered her aunt, and getting to know a potential love interest.

 

So, I had a feeling who the murderer was then I started to question my guess and I love a mystery that allows me to do that.

 

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It had all the right elements that pulled me in and hooked me.