To Have and To Kill by Mary Jane Clark **Book Review**

To Have and To Kill
by Mary Jane Clark
Wm Morrow 2011

In this Wedding Cake mystery, Piper is an actress who had a long run on a soap, but her character dies. She is short on work. She moves home for a time. Her mother is a baker and her father is a preparedness freak.

The star of the show, Glenna, is set to be married to a private high school teacher, an heir to a supposedly rich Manhattan jewelry business. The bridegroom had a love affair with one of the other teachers, who had planned a charity auction to raise funds for her drama department. Once her former beau was engaged to Glenna, the star attraction of the actress transformed the event. Glenna had recently divorced from a man who has jealous and violent, had served time in prison for financial fraud, and believed that Glenna belonged only with him. There were other staffers from the soap in and out of the auction. In addition, the preeminent New York City photographer was present, as the event had been transformed into a social event.

Piper is in attendance, having agreed to make the wedding cake for Glenna. While her acting career had stalled, Piper had an interesting relationship with an FBI agent, Jack, who she met often for dinner.

The handsome co-star of the soap, Travis, and Glenna were the auctioneers. A glass of water was poured by Glenna. Travis took a drink. He collapsed on the floor in obvious agony.

With this cast of characters, Mary Jane Clark writes a wonderful, page turning mystery. The characters evolve as a series of murders occurs. There are hints and red-herrings along the path, which keep your mind turning on “who could have done all of this?”

The denouement comes in classic fashion. Like a wonderful Hitchcock movie, I did not see it coming.

To Have and To Kill is a lovely, well written story. It is suspenseful, imaginatively written, and thought-provoking. There will obviously be mores stories in the series. Making a series out of an actress turned wedding cake maker will require the same ingenuity displayed in this fine story. Will Piper and Jack become an item as they team up to solve the crimes on the horizon?

Warms, Cym

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Mary Jane Clark