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Marked Down for Murder
Good Buy Girls Mystery #4
Josie Belle

Berkley Prime Crime
September 2, 2014/ ISBN 978-0-425-27136-0
Mystery / Cozy / Amateur Sleuth

Reviewed by Laura Hinds

 

Maggie Gerber and her Good Buy Girls group are keeping busy this winter. There are some big sales coming up for Presidents' Day, and Maggie hopes to score some deals that she can resell in her consignment shop, My Sister's Closet. Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and her romantic boyfriend, police chief, Sam Collins, had been sending her a single red rose, with a card with a single word on it each day. So far, she had received cards saying “Maggie,” “will,” and “you.” What could the final words be?

Another GBG, Joanne, is eight months pregnant, but seems about to pop at any time. Today. Tomorrow. Or maybe the next day. The GBG's are beside themselves with excitement about the impending arrival. Things are dampened, as usual, by Maggie's nemesis, Summer Phillips, and her pushy, rude, and demanding mother, Blair Cassidy. Blair has just come to St. Stanley (a very small town in Virginia) with her newest husband, Bruce Cassidy. She is determined to break up Sam and Maggie, because she is even more determined that Sam belongs with Summer. Maggie gets fed up to her eyeballs with Blair's meddling and storms over to Summer's house to tell her to reign her ridiculous mother in.

When she arrives, she finds Bruce Cassidy dead on the floor and Summer standing over him, holding a bloody hammer. Things look bad for Summer, but as much as she loathes her, Maggie believes in her innocence. Someone else killed Bruce, but who, and why remain unknown. Maggie promises Sam she'll keep out of the investigation, since she's been involved in murder cases before and ended up in life-threatening situations. Will Maggie be able to keep her curiosity at bay and stay out of the case, or will she give into temptation to snoop and possibly lose Sam in the bargain?

I'm a bargain shopper too, and love the Good Buy Girls. This series has been so fun, and I've enjoyed each and every book. Marked Down for Murder was a sweet read for me, because of the progression of some romantic relationships, along with the arrival of a new baby. I find myself thinking “awww,” more than once. The mystery itself was so clever that I didn't see the forest for the trees and was very surprised by the outcome. Do yourself a favor and buy all four books in the series – 50% off Murder, A Deal to Die For, Buried in Bargains, and Marked Down for Murder. You'll enjoy not only reading, but owning the entire set. The next book in the series All Sales Final will be released in 2015.

Reviews of other titles in this series

50% off Murder #1
A Deal to Die For #2
Buried in Bargains #3
Marked Down for Murder #4

All Sales Final #5

 

Reviewed 2014
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