So Pretty a Problem by Francis Duncan

He's an amateur sleuth but he reminds me of Hercule Poirot.  He's slow and deliberate in his actions and he uses his brain to solve the crime.  The big difference between the two detectives is that Mordecai is a bit of a romantic and sometimes he has to fight his emotions.  He was taking a nap on the beach when his neighbor wakes him with the news she has shot her husband and he's dead...

Sourcebooks Landmark and Edelweiss gave me the opportunity to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published May 1st.

The victim is an artist who is very talented.  He's working his way up to more notice and more sales but someone has ended his career.  It's definitely not suicide.  The wife has confessed but her story doesn't add up.  When she changes it, it's still not right.  What's she not telling?

This little cove is hiding a lot of secrets.  Neighboring men love the wife, the women love the husband, and although they act attentive and sweet in public, it's not so nice in private.

This is tangled web of mystery where everybody had a part and most of them were around when the murder happened.  It's just trying to determine who the actual killer was that was troubling for Mordecai, but he figures it out.

I find tales like these comforting.  It's like visiting with an old friend and helping them solve a problem.  If you like Agatha Christie, you'll like this story, too.