Carmel Conundrum

Liz Adams is traveling with her dog, Duke, from her beloved Charleston to Carmel, California to settle her inheritance from her friend Peg. Peg left Liz some property, and Liz must decide what to do with it. As it turns out, this trip also lets her spend time with Brad, the CEO of an identity protection company. Peg expressed her hope that Liz and Brad might become more than friends.

The story offers us a couple of mysteries to ponder. What's up with the cult whose leader keeps trespassing on what is now Liz's property? And something strange is going on at Brad's company. Former clients who have died suddenly have memberships reactivated in their names. Who's doing that, and why? Are the two related? Brad persuades Liz to stay long enough to investigate.

Stacy Wilder gives us a wonderful heroine in Liz - intelligent, caring, and practical. The relationship between her and Brad builds slowly, because her ex really did a number on her, and it's fun to see them growing closer to each other. (I think Peg would be pleased.)

Wilder gives us excellent supporting characters, too. New sheriff Sam is glad of Liz's help, and they work well together without it ever feeling like Sam is running into any legal issues by letting Liz share in the investigation. And of course, her lie-detecting dog, Duke, is a delight! Apollo, the cult leader, is manipulative and creepy. And the mystery is twisty enough that it kept me guessing pretty much all the way through the book.

And it sounds like Liz may have to decide in some future book whether she can divide her time between Charleston and Carmel! I'm not sure she'd ever leave Charleston entirely, but I think she's got a pretty compelling reason in Brad to spend a good bit of time on the West Coast.

I can't wait to read more of the series!