Title: Murder on Memory Lake

Author: J.D. Griffo

Publisher: Kensington

Publication Date: July 31, 2018

Page Count: 304

My rating:   4 stars

About the book:

For Alberta Scaglione, her golden years are turning out much more differently than she expected—and much more deadly . . .
 
Alberta Scaglione’ s spinster aunt had some secrets—like the fortune she squirreled away and a secret lake house in Tranquility, New Jersey. More surprising: she’s left it all to Alberta. Alberta, a widow, is no spring chicken and she’s gotten used to disappointment. So having a beautiful view, surrounded by hydrangeas, honeysuckle, and her cat, Lola, sounds blissful after years of yelling and bickering and cooking countless lasagnas.

But Tranquility isn’t as peaceful as it sounds. There’s a body in the water—and it belongs to Alberta’s childhood nemesis. Alberta suspects foul play and when Alberta’s estranged granddaughter, an aspiring crime reporter, shows up, it only makes sense for them to team up and investigate . . .

Includes Italian recipes from Alberta’s kitchen!

Murder on Memory Lake by J.D. Griffo is the first book of the new cozy Ferrara Family Mystery series. And what a creative beginning to a cozy mystery this was with the sleuthing actually becoming a family affair.

Alberta Scaglione is a sixty something widow who couldn’t believe the news she received that her aunt had left everything in her will to Alberta including her house on Memory Lake in Tranquility, New Jersey. Her aunt had been a spinster and sort of the black sheep of the family but being in a big Italian family Alberta didn’t expect to be singled out.

Moving to the house on Memory Lake Alberta expected to have a nice peaceful place to retire but what she didn’t expect was to walk out and see a body floating in the lake. Just as the local law arrives so does Alberta’s granddaughter, Jinx.  Jinx is a reporter and when Alberta insists there was a murder and the police are reluctant to believe her Jinx suggests they make crime solving a family affair.

Murder on Memory Lake is a cozy mystery but it’s almost as if it’s combined with a contemporary about a crazy Italian family. Not only did we have Alberta and her granddaughter but Alberta’s sister Helen and sister in law Joyce so believe me this group could have some crazy moments together. There probably could have been some more sleuthing going on to really tighten up the mystery side but what the heck, I liked the characters so I’m still going four stars on this one.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Find this book online: 

Goodreads  /   Amazon

About the author:

J. D. Griffo is an award-winning writer and a graduate of New York University. He has studied at Playwrights Horizons and Gotham Writers Workshop, and has written several screenplays.