Death Rides the Ferry by Patricia Skalka

There's a musical performance going on that the Sheriff takes a day off to attend.  He enjoys the show but also has his eye out for wrong doers.  Unfortunately, the wrong doing took part on the ferry...

University of Wisconsin Press and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published May 8th.

It's initially thought that she died of a heart attack but it was a strange chemical that killed her.  As he searches for her killer, he finds that it ties back to the first time that performance was done on the island.  Then an expensive viola was stolen.  Was she the daughter of the woman who had been performing at the time?  Why would she return?   Then there is another death, the same chemical was used and the victim lived on the island.  Was she coming to see him?

I've ridden ferries in Washington state and having a murder on one sounded intriguing.  This is a complex well-thought-out mystery with a very cold and cruel murderer.

Besides worrying about the murders, he's just found out his wife is pregnant and he's worried about her.  She was told not to have children but she says medical advances mean she'll be OK.  He's conflicted because he lost his wife and children to a drunk driver and he's not sure he can handle being a parent again.  This all messes with his head as he tries to hunt the culprit down.

It has an exciting ending and is a good series.  I'd read more in this series.