Cooper Lee and her Bible study group are invited to spend the weekend at a recently renovated Virginia historic inn as part of the inn’s soft re-opening. Since Cooper is getting over the recent end of her long distance relationship she hopes the weekend will lift her mood. It’s going well until one of the inn’s co-owners is murdered…and Cooper’s mother is on the suspect list.

Cooper and her Bible study group get to work on trying to piece together what happened and discover there are plenty of candidates to be the murderer. The victim had made a lot of enemies along the way, up to and including her business partner. Add in an art theft at the inn for an extra twist and Cooper and friends have their hands full.

This is the sixth book in the Hope Street Church mystery series, but read well as a stand-alone. The characters are multi-faceted, real and interesting, and their relationships are well developed. I will definitely read more by this talented author team.

4 stars