Karen Pelletier is an English Professor at Enfield College. Sunnye Hardcastle (a Patricia Cornwell lookalike) will be a featured speaker in the upcoming murder mystery conference in the English Department. Karen ends being Sunnye's escort through the conference. Sunnye is accompanied by her dog Trouble (a Rottweiler).

There have been thefts from the Enfield library but the college is trying to keep this from the public. The college has hired Dennis O'Hanlan, an old high school classmate of Karen's who is now a PI, to investigate the break-ins. Then during the conference, a man is found dead in the stacks, his neck broken. It is later discovered that the priceless manuscript of the Maltese Falcon is also missing.

Add to this that Peggy, one of Karen's students, is missing. She worked in the library. She was seen lurking about and running off when Dennis when to confront her. Karen does not believe Peggy is involved and tries everything to find Peggy and clear her name. This proves harder than she expected.

Karen's daughter Amanda comes home from college with mono. While she is resting, she and Sunnye strike up a comraderie. Amanda surprises Karen with a change in career plans. Sunnye is a suspect in the murder. Karen does not believe she is guilty and works to clear her name as well. She and Sunnye strike up a friendship of sorts.

There is a real strain in Karen's relationship with Charlie Piotrowski, the Massachusetts police lieutenant on this case.

I truly enjoy the books in this series. I find Karen to be very down to earth. She was a single mother who went back to school and became a professor. I like the relationship that has developed between Karen and Charlie. Karen has some very interesting colleagues as well.

I find these books to be very well written. They are not easy to figure out who did it, but they move quickly so you aren't bored.

I highly recommend this book and the whole series.