A Touch of the Grape

Hemlock Falls is a beautiful community in upstate New York, but its depressed economy is troubling to Quill and Meg Quilliam, sisters who are the proprietors of the Inn at Hemlock Falls. Their only guests are the Crafty Ladies, a group of senior citizens who make things out of plastic spoons, boat seats, and whatever else they can find. They seem a bit eccentric and giddy, but a murder sobers them up quickly. Quill wants to solve the murder so that her business can resume as normal. Added to this, she is balancing an impatient fiance, employees who are leaving because they're not being paid, a stray dog, an aggressive insurance man, and the usual characters from town. The suspects include other guests and the townspeople,and Quill speculates about several of them until she stumbles upon the killer. This is an enjoyable mystery and the characters are not quite as "over the top" as in some other books of this genre.

I LOVE this series. I was surprised by some of the changes that happen in this book, but I think they will make for an even more interesting series. I really enjoy Meg and Quill, the 2 sisters that run the Inn. When I read one of these books, I feel as if I'm reading a letter from an old friend as I've gotten to know the characters and especially enjoy it when they stay in their home town as I've gotten to know most of the townfolk as well.

The depressed economy of central and upstate New York is hurting the business of the Quillian sisters, proprietors of an inn, since most people are not going on vacation. The only solid booking they have is the "Crafty Ladies" society, a group of senior citizens who sell craft kits. As Meg and Quinn worry over their sagging hotel business, a fire breaks out in one of the rooms where one of their elderly guests is staying. When the blaze is extinguished, it is obvious that the woman was murdered. As more members of the club are killed, Quinn conducts an investigation to learn who and why someone wants to kill defenseless elderly women. Claudia Bishop delivers a first class mystery that includes two well-designed surprises. Though the clues are provided, the villain remains a complete shocker and the motives for murder even more stunning. An added bonus is that the Quillian siblings' lives take an unusual twist that will leave readers wanting to learn more about what happens to them in future novels. A TOUCH OF THE GRAPE is an intoxicating novel that leaves the audience feeling pretty good.Harriet Klausner