Book 1 of the Shore Shenanigans Series
Fired Up and Feisty puts the Ocean Alley High School Reunion front and center. The Golden Grads (alums from long ago) end up at the Cozy Corner B&B after a fire at the local hotel, Beachcomber's Alley. Well, not all of them – Preston McKinley is found on the floor in the room where the fire started. Did smoldering high school resentments lead to his demise? Or maybe his prior business dealings?
Longtime Ocean Alley resident and local PI George Winters is pulled into the fray, assisted by Cozy Corner B&B owner Madge Richards (a.k.a. Mayor Madge). They get lots of input from snooty seniors. The first thing George learns is that the death of Lenna -- sister to Catherine, a current reunion attendee -- may have been more complex than driving off the road. Why was she outside of town late at night? Does her sister learn more at the reunion?
Preston McKinley was an investment advisor whose advice was not always on target. There's even a rumor that he embezzled funds from the high school senior prom. As Ocean Alley Police Sergeant Morehouse says, "That was a long time ago."
But was it the start of a pattern? Preston later created a private investment fund. Did all that money go where it should have? Were some of his high school friends investors who might be angry about results?
There's talk about all of this at B&B, and Mayor Madge keeps her ears open. She wishes she heard less of the Golden Grads' practice for the reunion talent contest.
The night of the reunion party, George keeps an eye on key plyers and follows a couple of them to a hallway away from the main event. As Louie Louie blares, gunshots fly. Will Preston McKinley's killer be unmasked?
Elaine L. Orr writes five mystery series. The fourteen-book Jolie Gentil cozy mystery series is set at the Jersey shore, and the River's Edge series takes place along the meandering Des Moines River. The Logland series is set in small-town Illinois and the five-book Family History Mystery Series is set in the mountains of her home state, Maryland. Her newest is the Senior Shenanigans Series, in which varied sets of guests at a B&B have a propensity to nod off -- permanently. Two of her books have been shortlisted for the Chanticleer Mystery and Mayhem Award and one has received an Indie B.R.A.G Medallion.