When someone leaves puppies all over Pineapple Port Charlotte believes the puppies are linked to the death of a wealthy philanthropist. Could someone have killed him in order to sell his purebred puppies? If so, then why give them away? Charlotte is determined to get to the bottom of the mystery. Meanwhile, Mariska is reeling from the sudden death of her neighbor Alice. Frank finds Alice's death a bit suspicious as if she was poisoned. If this is the case, then Mariska is the chief suspect! It all comes of doing a good deed at Christmas. Mariska is convinced Alice's troubled granddaughter is at the root of the murder and is determined to ferret the information about of the girl one way or another.
The cozy parts of this book were well done. I like the quirky residents of Pineapple Port a lot. The fight in the pool at water aerobics was too funny as was Mariska, Darla and Charlotte breaking and entering. I absolutely adored the puppies. They're so cute! I just have some problems with the accuracy of the puppy rearing plot. If their mother died giving birth to them and Mina was responsible for taking care of them did she feed them? Puppies aren't born with teeth. How are they going to learn things puppies need to know like doing business and manners? Kimber didn't have another female or couldn't find one? Where is the male puppy daddy? His breeder probably would have helped out. They seem to have teeth and be weened already but did these puppies have their shots already? Are they wormed? All these questions tell you how much I cared about the plot.
There are two mysteries in one. The mystery about Kimber was tight and I didn't guess who until it was revealed and shown the killer's thoughts and actions. I was sad because I didn't want it to be that person. Alice's death was a little easier to figure out how she died but not exactly why. The conclusion is heart-warming and probably not all that realistic.
Charlotte has grown very sensible and intelligent since the first book. She's actually quite good at figuring out how to put clues together and picking up on small details Frank wouldn't find interesting or important. Mariska is a main character again. She's so funny even though she's worried about being arrested for murder. Mariska is also warm and generous and I can tell how much she enjoys nurturing young girls who need a mother figure. Darla is only given a small part here but she's a hoot. I can't believe one of her ex-husbands was a con and now she's married to a cop!
Frank has to defer to another sheriff in the matter of the dead philanthropist. This man is awful. He's sexist and disrespectful of Charlotte. UGH. She was way too tolerant of his behavior. The dead philanthropist, Kimber, was not a nice man. He was a horndog when he was younger and well. He didn't like to be around his own nieces and basically ignored them. He treated his own sister horribly in most people's minds. Then he developed Alzheimer's and complications that made him bedridden but still irascible. Mina, the housekeeper, like Mariska, has a lot of love to give but she seems a bit detached from the reality of her situation. She puts up with too much. Her twin nieces, Gemma and Payne are spoiled. Gemma is sweet and shy but completely naive. Payne is too worldly for her own good, spoiled and bratty. She does live up to her name. Mina lets them get away with too much. Lyndsey, Mina's ward, is like another niece to Mina. Lyndsey, however, is treated like a servant. She's a Fanny Price without Mrs. Norris to beat her into submission and without Edmund to help be her guiding light. Lyndsey's story is truly heartbreaking. Todd, the stable boy, is a disgusting pig, typical of teen boys.
In Pineapple Port the main characters are reeling over the death of a lovely lady. Alice was generous and kind to all she met, including her granddaughter. Crystal had a tough childhood and is a difficult teen. Her boyfriend is super bad news and a bad influence on her. Crystal would end up like her mother if not for her grandmother but she doesn't seem to appreciate that yet. Like Lyndsey, her story is also rather sad.
The puppies are all so incredibly adorable! I want to love them up but I don't want one with tiny little sharp teeth and accidents where they shouldn't be. I'll leave THAT to the breeder but I really really want to play with them and have puppy kisses. Charlotte's beloved Abby was quite put out at the fact her Mama brought home a PUPPY! How dare she! Abby doesn't have enough to do and I think it would have been good for her to have a puppy to keep her on her toes.
This series isn't my favorite and my Kindle Unlimited subscription is a limited trial so I will move on to other books and possibly return to this series later.