DEATH IN THE ROMANCE AISLE

An Arizona bookstore owner with a penchant for real-life mysteries investigates a murder involving her best friend's brother.

Rarity Cole is a breast cancer survivor who left her former life to settle in Sedona, where she now has a group of supportive survivor friends. Her two new college student hires, Janey Ford and Caleb Thompson (who has a crush on Janey), will be running book club meetings for groups ranging in age from preschool through teens. The latest meeting of Rarity’s own Tuesday night Survivors’ Book Club is delayed because her pal Sam Aarons, who’s bringing the treats, is running late. When Sam arrives, she reports that her younger brother, Marcus, is visiting and thinking of joining her in Sedona. Marcus and Janey are immediately attracted to each other, so when Janey is found dead in a quarry, Sam’s boyfriend, Det. Drew Anderson, identifies Marcus, the last person seen with her, as his prime suspect—a position that seriously imperils Drew’s relationship with Sam. The book club members, who’ve honed their crime-solving skills in previous cases, pitch in to help, although it looks bad for Marcus. Drew’s visiting father, former police officer Jonathon Anderson, joins the sleuthing crew and serves as guardian for Rarity and her dog, Killer, when she receives threats for snooping. Janey was a twin with a trust fund, and since money is always a motive for murder, Marcus is hardly the only suspect for Drew to consider.

Not much of a brainteaser but plenty of caring characters bring the story to life.