Well Read, Then Dead by Terrie Moran Farley

Despite what Oscar Wilde said about wishing ill on good friends,  I'm always happy when I see a friend succeed (well, almost always; I am after all human, at least sort of).

I have reference here to one of the most enjoyable novels I've read in quite awhile and yes I do mean Well Read, Then Dead by Terrie Farley Moran published by Berkley Prime Crime no less.  Terrie is a good friend of mine.

I grew up on science fiction so I have a particular fondness for visiting different worlds. Our voyagers here are Mary "Sassy" Cabot and Bridget "Bridgy" Mayfield who transplant themselves from NYC to Fort Myers, Florida.

The explanations for their move are believable--a cheating husband for one, an employer relocating for the other--as are their lives running a combination cafe and bookstore, a place where outsize but realistic characters bring charm and dazzle to Terrie's world.

One of the aspects I really admired about Well Read was the complexity of the story elements. Their Chef has an accident so Aunt Sophie comes to the rescue; "wreckers" who hope to find treasure in shipwrecks add not only color but suspense; the social life  includes everything from the protocols of book clubs to proper way to deal with customers..in less skilled hands the numerous aspects of the novel would overwhelm the reader.

But Terrie's smart, snappy prose and ability to propel a story through memorable scene after memorable  scene keeps the reader turning the pages and enjoying all the plot twists she has so carefully constructed.

If you get the idea that I like this novel very much, you are correct. Paperback or Kindle, do yourself a favor and get it now. This will definitely be up for all the relevant awards.