Book ~ "The Marsh Murders" (2016) Victoria Abbott

From Goodreads ~ Jordan works hard to improve Vera Van Alst’s collection of classic detective stories. So when Chadwick Kauffman - heir to the Kauffman fortune - offers a very good price on a fine collection of Ngaio Marsh first editions owned by his recently deceased stepfather, she is thrilled to meet with him at his fabled summer estate, Summerlea.

The next day, Jordan and Vera are shocked to read that Chadwick has died in a fall from the grand staircase at Summerlea. But when the picture in the paper is of a different man, it becomes clear that the ladies are victims of a scam. And they’ll have to unmask the imposter fast, because someone is trying to frame them for murder.

Vera Van Alst, an older crusty recluse, gets an invitation to purchase a Ngaio Marsh first edition collection from Chadwick Kauffman, who had recently inherited it.   Jordan's job is buying and reselling books for Vera ... she enjoys her job and the cute apartment in Vera's house that comes with it. Vera, along with Jordan and Kev (Vera's handyman and Jordan's not-so-smart uncle) are invited to lunch for the transaction.  All goes well and they are surprised to learn the next day that Chadwick had been murdered and Vera, Jordan and Uncle Kev are the suspects. They discover they have been set up and the man they transacted with wasn't Chadwick.  Not surprisingly the police don't believe them so it's up to Jordan to prove their innocence.

I thought this one was okay (it's better than the last one) and I found the story interesting.  There was a lot talk about characters from what I'm assuming are Ngaio Marsh's books ... I didn't know who they were so that was dead space for me and I skipped over these references.  The whodunnit came out of nowhere but I was okay with it even though it seems too unbelievable to be able to pull off.  

Though this is the fourth in the Book Collector Mystery series, it works as a stand alone. It is written in first person perspective in Jordan's voice. As it's a cozy mystery (so there is no swearing, violence or adult activity), it was a quick easy read.  Jordan met Tyler, a police officer, in book 1, they started dating in book 2, he was off on a mysteries job training in book 3 and in this book (book 4) he breaks up with her.  I know it's a cozy mystery but there's zero romantic interaction between them.  Jordan has a best friend named Tiff who is conveniently never around ... she's off working in faraway places.  She never add any value so what's the point in having her in the stories?  There are recipes at the end.