Foul Play in La Playa — Amy Patricia Meade

When Stella and Nick join their friends for a wedding getaway in Mexico, it seems like every day is Day of the Dead . . .When their two closest friends take off for Mexico to get married, Stella and Nick gladly head south of the border to help them celebrate. It's been brutally cold back in Vermont, and the small resort they're staying at is a sun-drenched paradise. But then they learn that the previous occupant of their bungalow died mysteriously, and not long after that another guest turns up dead. Suddenly all their hopes for a tropical escape from winter—and murder—melt away when they get dragged into the investigation. Stella soon discovers that the victim, a loud and spiteful woman, had alienated herself from all of the other guests. She also had an uncanny knack for uncovering compromising details about people, and it becomes clear that virtually everyone at the resort has something to hide. With too many suspects and a murderer in their midst, Stella and Nick have to work quickly to figure out which of the guests had a secret worth killing for—before the killer decides to put them down for a permanent siesta . . . Praise for the Books of Amy Patricia Meade:Meade successfully segues from her historicals to this snappy, traditional contemporary. She brings us pitch-perfect dialogue, original characters, and enormous potential for a fun series. —Library JournalQuaint characters and settings abound in this outing by New Yorker-turned-Vermonter Amy Patricia Meade. —Mystery SceneThe first in a new series for Meade features yet another set of bright young detectives . . . —Kirkus ReviewsMeade's debut will strike a chord with fanciers of Dorothy Sayers's Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane. —Publishers WeeklyA fairly straightforward plot with a neat twist at the end, good characters, and a well-drawn location make for a good read. —The Bookbag