SCONED TO DEATH

Murder is just one of the challenges a California girl faces when she inherits property in the rural Midwest.

Annie Sara Hart had one mission when her boss let her take a leave of absence from her job in a Malibu children’s boutique to inspect the old schoolhouse her uncle left her in Franklin, Indiana: Get the property sold. But she and her boss’ daughter, Gray Hanover, soon realize they’ll have to spruce up the old building, home to a defunct yarn shop, quite a bit to make it sellable. The two coastal transplants also realize that they kinda sorta like life in Franklin, whose many warmhearted residents help ease their path: kindly baker Jenny Swanson and her teenage son, Toby, who has Down syndrome; quirky herbalist Liv Stein; and would-be farmer Matt Astin, who’s too much of a softy to slaughter any of his livestock. Gray’s movie-star mother, who clamors for them to sell the damn place and return home, is especially concerned with Gray’s growing attachment to a local cop, and Annie Sara and Gray find themselves running out of excuses to delay. The murder of a local au pair provides them with some leeway. So does Toby’s chance to become a contestant on a TV baking show. The murder actually draws little of Annie Sara’s attention—her main concerns are giving Toby a shot at showcasing his scones, helping Gray navigate her rocky relationship with her overbearing mom, and figuring out how she feels about farmer Matt. Hechtman’s latest is filled with warmth and light, but is very short on detection.

A gift for readers who like the cozy more than the mystery.