The Cari Turnlyle Series

When a college track star collapses dead as he tries to clear the last hurdle, sports writer Cari Turnlyle suspects foul play. As she tries to dig deeper, she continually encounters obstacles. Another member of the school's athletic community turns up dead leading Cari to turn to her childhood friend, Detective Genevieve Viacorte. But even Detective Viacorte refuses to acknowledge Cari's theory. Can she find the answers before someone else pays the price?

Cari Turnlyle was recently promoted from the sports column to a front-page journalist at the Brenington Beagle. She had been enjoying her success until a wealthy member of the community calls her writing drivel. The man, Frederick Kastener, is outraged when no one investigates his daughter’s death in a collision that by all accounts seems to be accidental. Well-connected both socially and financially, Kastener throws his weight around to get the case a second look.

Tragedy strikes when a local bookstore is struck by lightning and burns to the ground. First responders discover an unknown man inside the building in their attempts to extinguish the fire. Intrigued by the man’s presence, Cari visits the building’s remains hoping to figure out why he was there. Her search leaves her with more questions than answers when a possible witness disappears.

When Cari accepts Bob's invitation to join him for a vacation in Wisconsin, she has no idea what's in store. The relaxing week away turns nightmarish early on when she startles an intruder at Bob's family's bed and breakfast. His aunt confesses that this isn't the first break-in: its the fourth one in as many weeks. She has started to lose business and feels helpless to put a stop to it. Never one to walk away from an investigation, Cari teams up with the local sheriff's department to track down the mystery man.

The city of Brenington is shocked to learn that one of its residents is actually bestselling author Natasha Gillespie. Just days after announcing her retirement and revealing her identity to the world, Gayle Smith, a.k.a., Natasha Gillespie, is found dead in her own home. Cari is not alone in suspecting foul play; Genevieve and Alex lead the police investigation after barbiturates are discovered in the woman's system.

Cari’s brother-in-law Robby has come to her with a disturbing tale: he thinks his boss is using him to pay a hitman! She initially chalks up his concern to paranoia, but her research paints a chilling picture. As she tries to connect the dots using Robby’s clues, she is blindsided by upheaval at the Brenington Beagle. The newspaper is struggling to make ends meet and the owner is restructuring her benefits package.