This is the first book in the Gray Whale Inn series by Karen MacInerney. Karen also writes the Dewberry Farm series which I also like.
My Goodreads review:
Murder on the Rocks by Karen MacInerney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I remembered reading this before but somehow I missed reviewing it or even marking it as read. The story was familiar as I read it this time. Luckily I’d forgotten who the killer was!
Natalie Barnes bought an old bed and breakfast on Cranberry Island but soon found out that a developer named Bernard Katz was planning a huge resort for the area. This would be competition for her B&B, so it was no surprise that when Nat found Katz dead on the rocks, she was the primary suspect. Her friend and neighbor John who was also the island deputy tried to give her as much help and support as he could, but he still didn’t approve when Nat and her friend Charlene decided to investigate.
I had no idea who the killer would be since it didn’t seem directly related to the guy who was killed but it all wrapped up and made total sense later. I hope that Natalie and John have a nice future ahead of them, but they’re just starting out liking each other. I really liked Nat’s friend Charlene. She was funny but really helpful and a loyal friend to Nat. Nat’s niece Gwen who was staying at the B&B while she took art classes also turned out to be a really nice girl. She surprised her aunt sometimes by cleaning the rooms or doing little things without her asking.
I loved the setting of this book since it was an island with mainly one store and restaurant–and one B&B. At the end of the book you’ll find some of the yummy-sounding recipes that Natalie made. The Acknowledgements section is interesting too since it points out that while the Cranberry Isles are real, everything else, including the type of tern mentioned was part of the author’s imagination. Yes, I’m an acknowledgements nerd!
Cuddle Up With a Cozy Mystery 