[.ca] Murder on the Rocks: A Gray Whale Inn Mystery (ISBN 0738709085)

A winning recipe for murder:
I was lucky to receive an advanced copy of Murder on the Rocks and, trust me, this book is a winner. As new owner of The Gray Whale Inn on Cranberry Island, Maine, young entrepreneur Natalie Barnes offers comfy beds and breathtaking views of rose-dotted sea cliffs, while cheerfully whipping up her delectable home-cooked goodies. She's content to be serving up a peaceful slice of Americana, until a wealthy developer arrives with plans that threaten to destroy the habitat of the endangered black-chinned terns--and to replace the Inn with a parking lot. Finding the developer dead on the rocks outside was nowhere on Natalie's well-planned menu. Especially when the police consider her a prime suspect . . . and the real killer wants her dead too. Murder on the Rocks, complete with recipes, is a delightful combination of New England charm, eccentric characters, tongue-in-cheek humor and heart-pounding action. The author paints the story in such detail that the reader smells the tang of salty air, feels the coastal summer sunshine and savors each succulent mouthful of lobster dripping with butter. MacInerney gives us a down-to-earth and plucky heroine who may be seen calmly pedaling her aging Schwinn uphill to deliver Killer Cranberry Scones in the morning . . . then hoisting a chef's knife to defend herself in a stormy blackout later that night. Surrounding Natalie is a fabulous cast of characters (and suspects) including B & B guests, quirky neighbors, a well-coiffed and outspoken best friend, and a way-too-tempting local deputy. Murder on the Rocks hooked me on the first page and kept me reading right on through, and now has me shopping for the ingredients to try out the killer recipes. It's a book that leaves you eager for second helpings--the next book in the Gray Whale Inn Mystery Series.