Sugarplum Dead

Annie and Max get drawn into the Ladson family drama when Max's mother, Laurel is being scammed by a psychic who is also trying to scam the retired actress, Marguerite Dumaney Ladson, money holder of her family. The connection to the family is deepened by the fact that Annie's long lost father, Pudge, is ex-husband of the actress's sister, the murder victim. This actual murder mystery was OK but a clique in plot. The side story dealing with Annie's relationship to her father and step-sister was the more interesting part of the story that kept me reading.

This one takes place at Christmas with a family squabble over money and inheritance. The money is going to a someone who has questionable intent. You have to get halfway into the book before a murder takes place and it isn't even the person who "should" get murdered. And then there's a second murder - but is this the person who everyone thought would get killed and who did it???

A great plot twist ends the story and Carolyn Hart has done it again. And there's still that "killer" cat, Agatha hellbent on making trouble for our heroine.

Interesting, confused family with a movie star older sister and her stunt double, sister and step brothers all living in a very odd house on Broward’s Island. Several deaths later, the murderer is identified at the end of the book. Estranged father and step sister are reunited with Annie Darling and come to live with Max & Annie. A little wackier than most of Hart’s books.

Annie's father suddenly shows up on Broward's Rock. He is staying with his former wife and her movie star sister. When a murder occurs Annie has to save her father and her newly discovered stepsister.

Fun.