Carolyn Haines

LIGHTS, CAMERA, BONES is my introduction to the Sarah Booth Delany Mystery series. It is book 27. The main character is Sarah Booth. She is ably assisted in her investigations by her partner Tinkie, Coleman Peters who is her love interest and the sheriff of Sunflower County, a ghost named Jitty, and her animal companions.

This case has Sarah Booth and her partner Tinkie hired by a movie company when one of the gaffers goes missing. They learn that the movie is to tell the story of the 1927 flood and is being produced, directed and starred in by local boy Marlon Brandon.

There has been trouble on the set. A vocal minority wants to shut down production. Marlon's grandfather who is a local big deal isn't too happy about the movie either. Sarah Booth and Tinkie begin looking into things and aren't having much success. Things get even more baffling when a foot from the missing gaffer is found. It was apparently bitten off by a shark.

Apparently, someone has imported a shark to add more disruption to the movie making. Coleman is a diver and is part of the crew trying to find the shark and move it back to salt water. Local Mary Dayle who is part of the opposition to the movie, but she still wants to protect the shark. She's a bookstore owner now but was previously a marine biologist.

Then Marlon goes missing. If Sarah Booth and Tinkie can't find him, the movie is doomed.

This was an engaging, light mystery. Prepare to suspend belief because quite a few of the characters have "too stupid to live" moments including the detectives.… (meer)

Sarah Booth Delaney is back at her family home, Dahlia House, in Zinnia, Mississippi. She’d tried to make a go of a career on Broadway but found she wasn’t good enough.

What happens is Broadway comes to Zinnia in the form of the cast and production of “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof.” Among that cast is an old flame and a diva for a leading lady. Items Sarah didn’t want in her life.

The second night of the play, Renata, leading lady and diva, turns up dead. There are plenty of possible suspects due to Renata’s behaviour. Unfortunately Sarah is the one who is put in the limelight, as far as suspects.

While Sarah was in New York for two years, she and the leading man, Graf Mileau, were quite an item and this was common knowledge in Zinnia. The fact that Sarah was Renata’s understudy just cemented the suspicions.

Sarah takes it upon herself to find the murderer and clear all suspicion from herself.

A fun, cozy read with a nice cast of characters and a touch of romance…Southern Style.… (meer)