A Grave Issue: A Funeral Parlor Mystery

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Description

Readers of Carolyn Hart and Juliet Blackwell will be charmed by Lillian Bell's series debut. Making her intrepid debut, funeral director assistant Desiree Turner who must clear a loved one's name of murder. After an on-air gaffe goes viral and jeopardizes her career, journalist Desiree Turner retreats home to Verbena, California for some peace and quiet. She begins working one of the quietest jobs around- presiding over funerals for her great-grandfather's funeral parlor. But the action seems to follow her as a fistfight breaks out between neighbors Rosemarie Brewer and Lola Hansen at one of the first funerals she's in charge of running. It exposes a nasty dispute and Rosemarie's husband, Alan, is found murdered shortly after. Lola's husband, Kyle, is immediately arrested. Desiree, whose own father's death was devastating, has always viewed Kyle as a second father. Determined to clear his name, Desiree jumps head first into the investigation and quickly discovers that Alan had several unsavory habits at his job and in his personal life, including putting assets into his mistress's account to hide them from Rosemarie. People murder for money and love all the time, and there's no telling who he offended just enough to push them over the edge. Desiree is looking in all the right places, but she better catch the killer fast before they come for her next in A Grave Issue, the clever series debut by Lillian Bell.

Reviews

Praise for A Grave Issue:
Cozy fans will find all the right ingredients for a satisfying series.
Publishers Weekly

Bells debut is a worthy addition to the home again corner of the cozy world, with enough wit and moxie to warrant a return appearance.
Kirkus Reviews

A Grave Issue opens with emus, dead bodies, and a compelling first person voice. Throw in the secrets revealed in a small-town funeral parlor and the antics of local citizens, and you have Andy of Mayberry meets Six Feet Under. Lillian Bells funeral parlor mystery is flat-out fun from the opening line to the last word. The mystery is perfectly executed, but the characters will steal your heart.
Carolyn Haines, USA Today bestselling author of the Sarah Booth Delaney, Plutos Snitch, and Familiar Legacy mystery series

"A Grave Issue by Lillian Bell delivers everything I love about coziesquirky characters, a clever plot, and occasional mayhem. A fun read with engaging humor and enough clues and red herrings to keep the pages turning, this first in a series is highly recommended!"
Dawn Eastman, national bestselling author of the Family Fortune mysteries

A Grave Issue by Lillian Bell is marvelous multi-layered mystery must-read! The engaging cast of characters captured me immediately, and the story has all the twists and turns a reader could want...A book to remember! Treat yourself to this oneand to Ms. Bells next in the series as well!
Nancy Haddock, national bestselling author of the Silver Six Crafting mysteries

Peopled with quirky, distinctive characters, drop-dead humor, and a mystery as solid as any monument, A Grave Issue is a hilarious and entertaining read.
Annelise Ryan, bestselling author of the Mattie Winston mysteries

Lillian Bell makes funeral parlors feel cozy, while catching the business dead to rights. Wishing this delightful new series a long life.
Elaine Viets, author of Fire and Ashes

Author Bio

Lillian Bell was born in Dayton, Ohio. She moved when she was four and only remembers that she was born across the street from Baskin-Robbins. Lillian remembers anything that has to do with ice cream. Or chocolate. Or champagne. She recently graduated from the Creative Writing MFA program at Antioch University in Los Angeles. This is her first Funeral Parlor mystery.