Murder Walks the Plank (Death on Demand Series #15) »

An accomplished master of mystery, Carolyn Hart is the author of more than forty books, including eighteen Death on Demand novels. Her books have won multiple Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity Awards. She is also the creator of the highly praised Henrie O series. One of the founders of Sisters in Crime, Hart lives in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

When Annie Darling, the popular proprietress of the Death on Demand bookstore, throws a cruise-party with guests dressing up as their favorite fictional sleuths, it's a success - that is until one of the revelers plunges overboard and faux murder turns into real-life death. As the body count begins to rise, Annie begins to suspect foul play. Enlisting the help of her investigator-spouse Max, best friend and customer Henny Brawley, local bestselling superstar Emma Lloyd and Annie's mother-in-law, Laurel, Annie searches for answers, convinced that the victims were all connected in some way. But time is running out, since the killer they seek is far more intelligent and efficient than most.

Publishers Weekly

In Hart's winning 15th outing featuring Death on Demand Mystery Bookstore owner Annie Darling (after 2003's Engaged to Die), Annie is excited about the benefit cruise she's planned that will offer food, fun and prizes as well as relief from the sultry heat of August on the Low Country island of Broward's Rock, S.C. The evening's festivities, however, are shattered when the town's favorite volunteer, Pamela Potts, falls overboard. Rescued by Annie's husband, Max, Pamela is taken to the hospital unconscious. Only Emma Clyde, the island's celebrated mystery author, shares Annie's suspicions of foul play. When another party guest is found dead in her home the next morning, Annie and Max join forces to pursue the killer. In the process, they uncover some heart-wrenching truths and dark secrets that affect prominent townspeople and even their own family. In addition to a compelling puzzle and a fast-paced plot, fans will enjoy the realistic dynamics among characters who develop from book to book. The author includes all the usual amusing extras: the cryptic telephone messages from Max's mother, the mystery picture contest held each month at Death on Demand and the many references to real-life crime writers. This latest can only reinforce Hart's high standing among the cozy mystery cognoscenti. (Mar.) FYI: The winner of numerous Agatha, Anthony and Macavity awards, Hart is also the author of Resort to Murder (2001) and other titles in her Henrie O series, and is one of the founders of Sisters in Crime. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.