Fresher than springtime are these reads
Bury the Lead: A Quill & Packet Mystery
Kate Hilton & Elizabeth Renzetti House of Anansi Press
Partners in crime-writing Kate Hilton and Elizabeth Renzetti lay a foundation for a series of snappy whodunits with this Quill & Packet Mystery debut. After her big-city career and marriage implode, reporter Cat Conway takes a newspaper job in a small town. When famous actor Eliot Fraser dies onstage at a local theatre, the media frenzy that ensues gives Cat a chance to revive her career, or die trying. As the list of suspects grows, Cat becomes a person of interest — to the police, and to the killer.
Princess of the Savoy Ron Base & Prudence Emery Douglas & Mcintyre
Priscilla Tempest's job in the hotel press office isn't the only thing in jeopardy in the third instalment of this jaunty murder-mystery series. Her life is on the line after she and reporter Percy Hoskins uncover a plot against the British government. Loosely based on co-author Prudence Emery's experiences at London's Savoy Hotel in the 1960s, Priscilla's misadventures name-check real-life celebrities, including randy royals of the day.
Never Been Better Leanne Toshiko Simpson Harpercollins
Inspired by her experience with bipolar disorder, debut novelist Leanne Toshiko Simpson revisits the meet-cute rom-com trope — Dee, Misa and Matt bond during a stay in a hospital psych ward. A year later, Misa and
Matt send invitations to their destination wedding. Convinced she's in love with Matt, Dee flies to the Turks and Caicos Islands, determined to clear the air, even if it puts her recovery — and their nuptials — at risk.
The Inheritance Joanna Goodman Harpercollins
Relationships with wealthy men have been disastrous for 36-year-old widow Arden Moore and her mother Virginia Bunt. The illegitimate daughter of Virginia's rich, married boss, who died before she was born, Arden spent her childhood watching her mother try to win a share of his estate. After Arden's husband dies and leaves her in debt, with three children, Arden's half-brother dies and leaves an estate worth millions. Now that DNA testing could prove she is a rightful heir, she pursues her share. But at what cost?
Maya's Laws of Love Alina Khawaja MIRA
En route to Pakistan for her wedding, Maya hits turbulence on her flight, thanks to a storm and a seatmate who might be a better match than the doctor her parents have chosen for her. Stranded, they have a planes-trains-and-automobiles experience that just might take them to romance-land.