Death Benefit (The Desert Pines Mystery Series Book Three)
About
A struggling theater company, looking for a fresh start. A washed-up film star, guarding old secrets. A joke-obsessed director, whose penchant for pranks has gone too far. High drama is centerstage once more in the small resort town of Desert Pines.
Things have never been better for Dr. Jane McLaren. Her medical practice is thriving, her cafe is running like clockwork, and her relationship with Detective Joe Connor is finally on track.
Life takes a dramatic turn after one of Hot Lava Java’s baristas disappears the same day a Shakespearean Society comes to set up shop in Desert Pines.
When a string of harmless pranks at a Benefit performance of Hamlet turns deadly, Jane and Joe must untangle a Shakespearean web of clues and quotes to catch a killer.
A fun and clever small-town mystery, Death Benefit proves that ‘all the world’s a stage’, no matter how hard you try to avoid the spotlight.
Praise for this book
Jane has become one of my “fictional friends,” and the Desert Pines series is now on my “must-read” list. I love a cozy mystery where familiar characters who feel like my own neighbors embark on mysteries that clash with the simplicity of a small town. Jane uses her intellect and wit to work with her boyfriend and family to figure out why cast members keep falling prey to their allergies. Is it bad luck, a serial killer, or something else that you don’t see, despite it being there all along? That’s the mark of a good mystery, and Julie Titterington has delivered another good one to readers in Death Benefit. Mystery lovers, mark Desert Pines on your maps. This is a place you’ll want to visit again and again!
Fans of the murder mystery genre will find Death Benefit irresistibly engaging, thanks to its well-crafted plot and multifaceted characters. Julie Titterington masterfully weaves together the quaint charm of Desert Pines with the dark undercurrents of deception and danger. Readers will be captivated by the dynamic between Dr. Jane McLaren and Detective Joe Connor, whose personal and professional lives intertwine amidst the chaos. The clever incorporation of Shakespearean themes and puzzles provides an intellectual thrill, making each revelation both surprising and satisfying. Death Benefit is a must-read for readers who appreciate intricate mysteries, compelling characters, and the blend of drama and wit that Julie Titterington delivers with finesse.