Missy DeMeanor works at a bookstore with her best friend Noreen, has a dog, a home, and a truck that just died on the way to a scrapbooking session. She calls Noreen for help, and she shows up with her new friend Tonya, whom Missy just can't like. When they arrive at the school, it's discovered that a young woman has died. Missy used to babysit Olivia, and can't believe the pretty woman has been murdered. But there's a new cop on the case, and he asks Missy for help. He's heard of her reputation, and trusts her judgment. He also seems to be interested in her personally, and that leaves Missy flustered.

When she starts investigating who would want to kill Olivia, she finds it all heads back to Olivia's friends. One of them decided to silence the woman, but who? And for what reason? With Olivia's friends seemingly distraught by her death, Missy's still sure one of them had a hand in it. And when there's another death, she's sure of it. But will she be able to find the killer? And will she be able to resist the new cop or wait for her ex-boyfriend Tyler to return?...

This is the fourth book in the series, and since they are a short read, I have been reading them one after another. It's a cute series. This is not supposed to be high art, and the writing is not spectacular, but I think the story lines are decent. Yes, I would like to see Missy stop carping about her weight and actually do something about it, but it seems she'd rather scrapbook, watch television and drink (which has a lot more calories than drinking coffee or iced tea. Just sayin').

It's pretty obvious the new cop, Vinnie, is interested in Missy as well as her thoughts on the case, and some advice from Missy's mother comes in handy for her. I do like her mother, who is not whining about grandkids every waking moment like some of these mothers in books, and the woman seems ot have a grasp on life.

When the ending comes, the murderer is whom I suspected all along (no surprise, I read lots of these); but I felt it was done nicely and leaves the next book open for a new segment on Missy's life. For those interested, there are a few teaser chapters in the back of the book. ( )