Alibis and Amethysts by Sharon Pape

Alibis and Amethysts by Sharon Pape

2013, InterMix

Series: Book 1 of Crystal Shop Mystery

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Rating

Synopsis: Jaye Saylor is living her dream as the proud owner of Crystal Clear, a crystal and gemstone shop in the Red Rock area of Sedona, Arizona—a Mecca for tourists and new-age enthusiasts. And since tourists need sweets, Jaye gets to share her dream with her best friend, Sierra, who owns Cravings, a new local bakery.

But when the two friends discover the stone-cold body of a rival baker in Sierra’s backyard, that dream turns into a petrifying nightmare. With the police eager to pin the murder on the two women, Jaye and Sierra are forced to investigate on their own. Sedona is known as a place of powerful psychic energy, and the friends will have to contend with some unexpected forces to catch a hardened killer and make their innocence crystal clear...

The Good: I loved Jaye's shop. Her expertise in geology. The Native American culture woven into the story. The mystery was unexpected until right before the resolution was revealed. Definitely a cute, cozy mystery.

The Bad: Jaye is oblivious to romantic interest. The not-a-cat (what is that all about?). Most of the "interviews" Jaye did with potential suspects left me wondering why they would talk to her at all. More than anything, the story just dragged a bit. It didn't suck me in and I could have put it down at any time for a long while without jonesing to get back to it.