What do you do when your beloved granddaughter is the prime suspect in a murder case? Why, investigate, of course! Seventy-five-year-old grandmother Helen Evans lives in River Bend, Illinois. A town where murder simply doesn’t happen. But Helen’s granddaughter has just been accused of bumping off her boss . . . Big-city psychotherapist and full-time meanie Grace Simpson has only just set up shop in River Bend when she’s found dead on her bedroom floor. And Helen’s granddaughter Nancy is caught running from the scene. With a baseball bat. Everyone in town knows how much Nancy hated working for such a nasty boss. But Helen discovers there are plenty of other River Benders who aren’t grieving the loss of Grace Simpson . . . Crossword enthusiast Helen Evans is not about to sit this puzzle out. She’s mad as Helen, and she won’t stop until she proves her granddaughter’s innocence in this fun and fresh small-town mystery. An utterly charming cozy murder mystery by an award-winning author, perfect for fans of Deany Ray, Kathi Daley, Tricia O’Malley and Jeanne M. Dams. Readers can’t get enough of bestselling Susan McBride’s fantastic mystery: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I love how Susan takes her readers right into the heart of River Bend , Illinois . . . Just thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable.’ Sharon ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Snuggle up for this quaint cozy! Move over, Miss Marple!’ Julia ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I was just transported to a small town full of interesting people and a good, old-fashioned mystery to boot.’ Mary ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A fun read in the order of Murder She Wrote .’ Lyle ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I was hooked after the first page. The characters were easy to fall in love with and follow, along with the story.’ Erth ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘ Storytelling is just wonderful , and suspenseful, and entertaining, keeping one guessing page after page .’ Karsiyaka ‘I’ll read anything by Susan McBride.’— Bestselling author Charlaine Harris MEET HELEN EVANS Grandmother and widow Helen Evans is seventy-five years old and based on the author’s own grandmother. Helen’s husband Joe died three years ago so now she lives with just one roommate: a twenty-pound tomcat named Amber. She finds joy in crossword puzzles and quilting. She’s full of moxie and hardly feels like her expiration date has passed, so when the sheriff clearly requires her assistance in solving murders, what’s a gal to do? Frank Biddle is a stand-up guy, but he just doesn’t have her encyclopedic knowledge of the town’s residents and all their life stories. Sometimes he calls her ‘Miss Marple’, but he’s just teasing. Like any good puzzler, Helen gets mad as hell when she can’t find the answers. THE SETTING River Bend , Illinois, is a cozy Midwestern town set in a valley along the Mississippi River. Though River Bend might not seem like much, it does have a sheriff, a grocer’s, a diner, a hair salon, a small harbor, and even a defunct light house. Creeks run through the verdant grounds, and, in the wettest of springs, flooding can shut down the whole town. The good people of River Bend are like one big family. Those who have secrets don’t tend to keep them for long. If there’s one thing River Benders are known for, it’s sticking their noses where they don’t belong.