Framed for Murder by Marla A. White

Framed for Murder by Marla A. White
Publisher: Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Snowdrop

After a life-changing injury, Mel O’Rourke trades in her badge for bed sheets, running a B & B in the quirky mountain town of Pine Cove. Her peaceful life is interrupted when an old frenemy, the notorious and charismatic cat burglar, Poppy Phillips, shows up on her doorstep, claiming she’s been framed for murder. While she’s broken plenty of laws, Mel knows she’d never kill anyone. Good thing she’s a better detective than she is a cook as she sets out to prove Poppy’s innocence.

The situation gets complicated, however, when the ruggedly handsome Deputy Sheriff Gregg Marks flirts with Mel, bringing him dangerously close to the criminal she’s hiding. And just when her friendship with café owner Jackson Thibodeaux blossoms into something more, he’s offered the opportunity of a lifetime in New Orleans. Should she encourage him to go, or ask him to stay? Who knew romance could be just as hard to solve as murder?

Once a cop always a cop or it seems to be that way for Mel who is now running what you might call a family-owned B&B in Pine Cove. When the head of a big oil corporation is found dead and it is rumored that he had the magic potion to clean up oil spills, many suspects came to light, but Poppy was certain the cops would be sure it was her. She went straight to the honest cop she knew to help her out. Thus began the friendship/frenemy-ship Mel never thought could happen.

This is the first book I have read by Marla White. It was cute. It reads fast and I will tell you first-hand the characters and their antics will win you over immediately. There’s Poppy with her British accent, Grandma O insulting every customer that comes into the B&B, an adorable brother, and a handsome restauranteur and chef. Well, you get my drift. They are all a bit quirky and somehow it all falls together to make an easy-to-read, pleasant cozy mystery. I sure hope there will be more action in Pine Cove.