Karen MacInerney, Murder on the Rocks

Murder on the Rocks

Karen MacInerney

Midnight Ink, May 2006, $12.95, 312 pp.

ISBN 0738709085

After coming to Cranberry Island off the Maine Coast to mend a broken heart, Natalie Barnes fell head over heals for a former sea captain's house. She sold her home in Austin Texas and had enough money for the edifice, which would become the Gray Whole Inn bed and breakfast. She loves her new life; however into each Eden there is a serpent and this one is Bernard Katz.

The entrepreneur plans to build a resort for the rich and famous on land adjacent to Natalie's inn. While out walking Natalie trips and falls partway down a cliff. At the bottom is the body of Bernard Katz and it is determined by the medical examiner that the business mogul was murdered. The lead detective on the case believes that Natalie is the killer, especially since she knew about plans to convert her inn into a parking lot. Intending to clear her name before she ends up in jail, Natalie launches her own investigation and almost gets killed by a murderer who wants Natalie to take the fall for the killing.

Readers will get a look at small town living (pop. 2000) on an island that can only be reached by boat. The victim had enough enemies on the island leading to plenty of suspects with viable motives. The heroine is brave, stubborn and determined to get at the truth, even if it means putting her life in danger. Readers will like Natalie as she sets out to find the killer. This is a very entertaining who-done-It.