FAITH ON THE ROCKS

A Colorado widow with dreams of a writing career finds that sleuthing just might be her métier.

Ever since she retired early from her job as a special education teacher in Littleton, Daisy Arthur’s been looking for something to occupy her time. Although she’s joined a group of writers, some published, some wannabes, the relentless criticism of her romance novel is getting her down. When one of the group is found dead in a nearby river, the whole group becomes suspect as the last to see him alive. Daisy’s embarrassed to admit she never knew that good-looking, flirtatious Rico was a Catholic priest with a checkered past. Gabe Caerphilly, the officer in charge of the investigation, is the father of one of her former students. Daisy’s strongly attracted to him, and he seems interested in her, but his sergeant is a beautiful, jealous woman who seems bent on targeting Daisy as the No. 1 suspect. Daisy’s bumbling efforts at investigation only get her in more trouble when a second member of the group is murdered shortly after she saw him—naturally, after anyone else did. Partnering not with Gabe but with her next-door neighbor’s German shepherd, Daisy finally stumbles upon enough information to put her next on the killer’s list.

Malik’s debut mystery offers some interesting characters along with enough motives to make everyone in Littleton look suspicious. But Daisy’s lifestyle choices, especially her decisions about detective work, can be so annoying that you just want to shake her.