Between a Book and a Hard Place

Between a Book and Hard Place by Denise Swanson is the fifth book in A Devereaux's Dime Store Mystery series. Devereaux Sinclair owns Devereaux's Dime Store and Gift Baskets in Shadow Bend, Missouri. Devereaux is getting used to having her father back in her life. Kern Sinclair was recently paroled (even though he was innocent). Things are going well until Devereaux's mother returns to town with her latest husband, Jett Benedict. Jett has offered money (financing for three years) to the town for the library which has been closed (for quite some time). He only asks for access to the libraries archives immediately. The town, of course, agrees. While Jett is busy in the archives, Yvette (Devereaux's mother) is busy flirting with Kern (Devereaux's father). Then Devereaux gets an urgent call to come to the library. Jett Benedict is dead with Kern and Yvette at the scene of the crime. Devereaux quickly comes up with a plan (she does not want her father to violate his parole). Devereaux gathers up her friends and set out to find who wanted Jett dead and why did Jett want access to the towns archives. Devereaux also has her two love interests vying for her attention as well as dealing with Jake's ex-wife, Meg and Noah's crazy mother, Nadine (who swears that aliens are invading the town).

Between a Book and Hard Place has interesting characters, a good setting, and an intriguing mystery (involves the Civil War). I am disappointed, though, by the lack of character development (they have not changed much since the first book). I was hoping that the love triangle would be resolved in this book, but it is still alive and strong. This book does contain some humor (it will have you laughing). Unlike other cozy mysteries, this book does contain foul language and some sex related scenes (steaming up the windows of Jake's truck). The mystery was easy to solve (there were not many suspects). I give Between a Book and Hard Place 3.5 out of 5 stars. I hope the next A Devereaux's Dime Store Mystery will have more mystery and less on the love triangle (or maybe it can be resolved). If you have not read the previous book in the series, you will have trouble reading Between a Book and Hard Place (in the beginning).

I received a complimentary copy of Between a Book and Hard Place in exchange for an honest review of the novel.