Dead in Bed by Wendy Meadows

Dead in Bed

by Wendy Meadows

Series: Sweetfern Harbor Mystery #2
Series Rating:
Published by Majestic Owl Publishing LLC on August 9, 2017
Genres: Mystery
Pages: 144
Format: Kindle
Goodreads
Get Your Copy at: Amazon
Also in this series: Ghostly Tours , Posies and Poison , Captain Dead Man, Turkey, Pies and Alibis

Brenda Sheffield is thrilled to host the East Coast Acting Troupe in her inn set above the Atlantic Ocean. Excitement permeates the Sheffield Bed and Breakfast and injects new life in the small town of Sweetfern Harbor. Ellen Teague, the famous actress will be given a large suite on the second floor. From the adjoining room she will have access to her assistant Chester Boyd. Chester caters to her every whim. Ellen is demanding and narcissistic. She is liked by very few members of the troupe who are there to perform “The Rich Game.”
After the first performance at Harbor Park, Edward Graham pulls Brenda aside and tells her he has serious business to discuss with her. The lawyer informs her that Ellen Teague states she is the rightful owner of Sheffield Bed and Breakfast, not Brenda. Brenda argues her uncle’s will states she is the heir to his property. Ellen argues she and Randolph Sheffield signed an agreement that the bed and breakfast would be hers.
When Brenda confronts Ellen late at night, a loud argument ensues. Brenda’s raised voice awakens the cast members who were sound asleep. Brenda doesn’t think about this and goes to her apartment seething in anger. The next morning, she becomes fully alert when one of the cast members informs her that Ellen Teague is dead in her bed. As if this discovery isn’t shocking enough, Brenda is dismayed when Detective Mac Rivers narrows her down as his prime suspect and states she has the strongest motive for killing the star who demanded her rights to the bed and breakfast. Brenda and Mac are in love with one another, or at least that is what he told her when he gave her the Promise ring the day before. The estrangement leaves Brenda to solve the murder case as soon as possible or Mac plans to serve the warrant for her arrest.
This will be no easy task since at times all of the actors argued with Ellen. Combined with the fact that none of them cared for her egotistical behavior they also had individual motives for wanting her dead. Brenda knows she is on her own. Will the forty-eight hours the detective gave her be enough to prove who the killer really is? It is the only way Brenda will avoid prison for the rest of her life, and she realizes time is of essence.

Has Mac lost his mind?

Dead in Bed by Wendy Meadows is the second book in the Sweetfern Harbor Mystery series. I like this series; it has short mysteries that keep me guessing and delightfully colorful characters.

Brenda Sheffield

Brenda is our amateur sleuth that the police force uses to assist with questioning suspects when there is a murder. Oh ya, since Brenda moved to town two wicked women have been iced. No, Brenda didn’t find the body but…nope not going to tell ya.

Anyway, I like Brenda. She seems to be able to see when someone is lying, and people just feel they need to tell her things. Those are great qualities and not just for a sleuth. Brenda is a conservative, no-nonsense type of person. She is sweet and offers to assist whenever she can. But she is not stupid nor is she vindictive.

The victim

In this installment, Brenda finds out that her Uncle Randolph has booked the Sheffield Bed-and-breakfast to a traveling theater group who will be performing in Sweetfern Harbor. Brenda’s all-time star Ellen Teague will be staying here.

However, after Brenda meets Ellen, she is not sure that she will remain a fan for long. Ellen is bossy, rude, demanding and rather an attention hog. I put that as nice as possible but read into that three times worse. Yep, thinking that B-word.

Ellen walks into a room, and the entire cast freezes up. No one likes her and she treats them all horribly. Then Brenda finds out from the cast that her Uncle Randolph was an actor and that he worked with Ellen Teague.

Then Ellen shows her real colors; she threatens Brenda with a lawsuit that the B&B is actually hers and that Brenda will be out on her keister with nothing. Brenda and Ellen have a loud argument late at night in the hallway where everyone hears.

You guess it the morning the old bat is dead.

The hard part to swallow

Detective Mac Williams asks Brenda (the woman he loves) to assist with questioning the cast.  But when everyone talks about hearing Brenda rip into Ellen and what Ellen had planned for Brenda he jumps to Brenda being the one suspect. Idiot! What a jerk.

OK, so I adored this storyline. The way the cast of the theater group acted. The fact that they all knew her Uncle better than she did. The way the townspeople rallied around Brenda. Who did it and why. It was marvelous. I couldn’t put it down. This town takes care of karma.

The only part I had a problem with was that Brenda was able to solve the mystery in a couple of days. And she didn’t even get to interview all of the suspects at first. But I get it she is a great sleuth.

5 Stars for Dead in Bed by Wendy Meadows

My rating for Dead in Bed by Wendy Meadows is five stars. As I stated above, I couldn’t put it down. Thank goodness it was short or I would have been up all night. I thoroughly recommend this book and series, especially if you like cozy mysteries.

This Guest Review is for Baroness’ Book Trove. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book on your site.

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