Search - Delectable Mountains (Benni Harper, Bk 12)

When the musical director of Benni Harper's church is called away, Benni finds herself "volunteered" to take over a children's play already in rehearsal. But the production comes to a screeching halt when Benni discovers the badly beaten body of the church handyman right in front of the altar. — With a growing cast of suspects, and a small girl as the only witness to the crime, Benni must unravel a plot of theft and murder before it's curtains for her.

In this 12th book centering around Benni Harper (Ortiz), Luis, Gabe's cousin, comes to visit and it is obvious to Benni that there is some bad history as well as strong emotions between the two men. Benni gets roped into helping her grandma, Dove, with the children's musical play at the church. Once again, Benni stumbles on a dead man, the beloved caretaker of the church, Walt. Sadly, she spies a young girl running away and she fears the child has witnessed a murder. A highly valuable violin disappears from the Catholic church and there are no suspects or too many of them. I always enjoy Ms. Fowler's books and this was no disappointment. She develops the characters well and her story-telling is fabulous. I highly recommend the book!

Another excellent Benni Harper mystery - very enjoyable.