Queens of Mystery

When newly promoted Detective Sergeant Mattie Stone is assigned to her hometown of Wildemarsh for duty, her boss strictly warns that her job will not require the help of her three crime-writing aunts, Beth, Cat, and Jane. But when a murder takes place at the local crime-writers festival, Mattie struggles to keep the well-meaning amateur sleuths out of the investigation.

80s new wave band Volcanic Youth is in town to record a new album, but Kat feels troubled about the reunion after her contentious breakup with the band years ago. Mattie is assigned the unglamorous job of searching for a lost dog, but the case is put on hold when one of Volcanic Youths members turns up murdered.

The stage adaptation of Janes book endures numerous snafus before opening night: electrical problems, feuding cast members, and a notorious arts critic writing a potentially bad review. Meanwhile, Mattie searches for new clues in the case of her missing mother, but an onstage murder brings her to the theatre.

Beth and Cat head to a luxury spa run by Dr Angela Isherwood, who unexpectedly announces her retirement, names her successor, and then that night is murdered. Matildas initial suspects are the disgruntled staff, but the guests also harbor secrets, and Cat is intrigued by rumors that Dr Isherwood won the money for the spa through gambling. Meanwhile, Dr. Lynch has news that upsets Matilda.

Aunt Cats art exhibit at Wildemarshs trendiest new gallery is marred when Fintan Boyle, the ex-husband of the gallery owner, is discovered dead on star artist Keith Kanes installation. Kane is the prime suspect, but plenty of people had motives to kill Boyle. When one of the suspects beats a hasty retreat, its unclear if he fled or was abducted.

Matilda investigates what appears to be a robbery with clues reminiscent of her own mother’s disappearance — and then Aunt Jane finds a body and the case becomes a murder. But as Matilda searches for the identity of the killer, there are other parties, much closer to home, who’d prefer Matilda not to disturb too many secrets.