Design for Murder

Carolyn G. Hart

10/2/2005

Annie Laurence owns a mystery book store in South Carolina on Broward's Island. She is engaged to Max Darling, a millionaire who followed her, settled on Broward's Island as well, and took on private investigation work. She and Max see the world differently because of their upbringing. Yet there is no question they are in love. Now, if they could only agree on the wedding plans in September.

In the meantime, the Chastain Historical Preservation Society has decided to add Mystery Nights to their annual House and Garden fair. Corrine Webster, the aristocratic, dominating grande dame of the set, is set against Mystery Nights, but is overruled. One of the board members suggests Annie to put the mystery together.

Annie jumps at the chance to create her own mystery, set up the story, the clues, the murder victim, and the reasons. This is her chance! Her mind wanders through the mystery novels she has read - who knows how many - as she concocts the story in her mind. She attends a meeting of the Historical Preservation Society and quickly perceives the undercurrents of the old Chastain society. There is no question that Corrine Pritchard Webster is someone to avoid whenever possible. Too bad she is the president.

On the day of the opening of the fair, Annie carefully sets up her murder clues for the coming contesting sleuths. An hour or so she wanders down to the pond behind the Prichard mansion. There is a body in the pond. Annie screams and jumps in to drag the body out - Corrine Pritchard Webster. The weapon used to kill was discovered to be one of the carefully set out weapons Annie had set out not more than an hour earlier. Annie doesn't live in Chastain. Before she realizes it, she is the prime suspect for the murder.

The Death By Demand series are fun cozy mysteries. Annie approaches life using all the mysteries she has read to put things in order. Max has been with her long enough that his own thoughts started to turn the same way. She is opinionated and strong. Max is a perfect foil for her.

The mystery of the murder of Corrine Pritchard Webster is quirky and well done. Everyone in Chastain society has come under Corrine's sharp tongue and overbearing ways. Annie has a large number of suspects to investigate in order to clear herself. The conclusion of Design for Murder is not surprising to the devoted mystery reader. Yet until the final confession, there are still numerous suspects.

You can find more about this book at .

Death on Demand
Design for Murder
Something Wicked
Honeymoon with Murder
A Little Class on Murder
Deadly Valentine
The Christie Caper
Southern Ghost
The Mint Julep Murder
Yankee Doodle Dead
White Elephand Dead
Sugar Plum Dead
April Fool Dead
Engaged to Die
Murder Walks the Plank
Death of the Party
Dead Days of Summer
Death Walked In