Murder for profit

Ellie Quicke might seem a bit dithery at times, but her intuition, understanding of human nature, and innate intelligence help her solve the stickiest mysteries. In her latest adventure, Ellie discovers that the charity she runs to provide affordable housing for the needy is under fire. First, a young man falls from a balcony at a house the charity leases to students. Then the agency that leases the charity's properties is attacked. One of the owners dies, and a new, more aggressive agency is attempting to take over the business. Next, Ellie learns that the charity board wants to fire one of its members, but Ellie is not sure what he's done to incur the board's wrath. As she struggles to untangle the numerous problems, she finds herself caught up in a tragic family feud, unethical business dealings, and the shocking involvement of her daughter, Diana, who disappeared months ago, leaving her two children behind. A twisty plot, an intrepid heroine, and an unexpectedly satisfying ending make this a good choice for cozy fans.

Heley successfully conveys the vagaries of old age--both physical and societal--in her leisurely paced 21st Ellie Quicke mystery (after 2019's Murder for Good), in which Ellie and Thomas, her semiretired clergyman husband, have just returned to their home in England after a long stay in Canada. In her absence, the charity providing low-income housing that Ellie founded has become involved in a sticky situation: a student renting one of its apartments took a fatal fall from a balcony during a boozy party. Though the death is deemed accidental, there's still concern that the charity may be liable for damages. When Ellie digs a little deeper into the incident, she discovers a web of crimes, including real estate swindles, coercion, corruption, arson, and murder. Throughout, she remains firm in her belief that there's nothing that a dash of prayer and a nice cup of milky, sugary tea cannot ameliorate. Readers will cheer as tiny but shrewd Ellie outwits the villains, despite the odds. This tidy cozy will appeal particularly to those who have the occasional twinge in their joints, or find themselves in need of frequent naps, or have been condescended to by an arrogant young whippersnapper. (Nov.)

Ellie Quicke tries to resolve a real estate dispute that escalates into violence. Ellie and her husband, Thomas, return home from an extended trip to Canada to find their household in disarray. Susan and Rafael, who share their two-family house, have allowed their daughter and two foster children--who are Ellie and Thomas' grandchildren--to trample the shared garden, flinging mud everywhere. Worse yet, Susan, in her ninth month of pregnancy, is at odds with her husband, and their clamorous arguments send the children fleeing to Ellie and Thomas' house for safety. A look at the books of the housing charity she heads gives Ellie an idea about the source of the couple's disagreement. While Ellie was away, a student died in an unexplained fall in a house owned by the charity and managed by Walker & Price, a local estate agency. Stewart and Kate, two of the charity's trustees, want to end the relationship with Walker & Price and move on to Streetwise Estate Agency, a younger, trendier firm. But Rafael, also a trustee, digs in. He suspects that Streetwise may be behind the social media campaign trashing Walker & Price. Susan wants Rafael to remove himself from the dispute and help her out at home. The disagreement among the trustees is tricky for Ellie to negotiate because Stewart is father to one of her three grandchildren, abandoned by her daughter Diana, while Susan and Rafael are serving as foster parents to the other two. The situation heats up further as the social media trolling of Walker & Price morphs into vandalism. Ellie worries that she's the last hope before utter mayhem descends. Salvation seems a long shot, but with Heley all things are possible. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.