Methods of Malice, by Ellery Adams and Tina Radcliffe

 Publication March 14, 2023

Having discovered this series some years back, I was delighted to find a new edition to Cooper and the Hope Street Church's story. To be honest, I thought I'd somehow missed a finale and it had ended, so was happy to be proven wrong. Adams and Radcliffe do a fine job of mixing Christianity and mystery, with Cooper the sweet, kind, but rather naive young woman I remembered. The Bible Study group makes up the amateur sleuth bunch here, with the friends working together to find clues while taking part in the Hope Street Community Theater's production of "It's a Wonderful Life". A famous director and his entourage have arrived and one of them winds up being a murder victim. In the process of finding the killer, you'll even find yourself learning a bit about theater vocabulary and the backstage workings, too.

So,who killed Regina McAllister? As it turns out, suspects are plentiful. But, wait, could it have been a case of an accidental homicide with another the intended victim? Could the items fallen out of Regina's purse contain a clue? Why is Cooper so hesitant to call Jon her boyfriend? Is she really as naive as she seems when she thinks she has flirt Michael handled and deflected comfortably? Could it be director Simon Doyle? He does have the public image of a heartless cad, so would murder simply be an easy way for him to divest himself of women problems? Ladies, do you have a LBD? Do you know what it is? Who....oops, never mind. Enough teasers. 

Read the book. The religious aspect of it is handled deftly, blended in nicely without being heavy handed, while the focus remains on the characters and their evolving relationships. While, as noted, I found Cooper sweet but naive, you can't help but like her. Her family is strong and there for her, as are her friends, as she finds herself being pulled closer and closer to danger. Boyfriend Jon, a chef, is supportive without being overbearing, willingly taking small steps forward in their relationship. That her parents adore him is a real plus. I found the book a reasonably quick, entertaining read and hope there will be more installments.  

Thanks #NetGalley and #BeyondThePagePublishing for inviting me back to Hope Street. I love the community and its people and am looking hopefully toward more to come.