Kindle Edition Download to your Nook (eBook) Download from Apple iTunes (eBook) Download from Smashwords (eBook) Amazon Cynthia E. Hurst Mysteries Category:  Mystery/Suspense Publisher: Plane View Books Type: Fiction Pages: 235 Copyright: Feb. 19, 2012 ISBN-13: 9781517772901 Price: $2.99 (eBook) A romance that started in the 1960s leads the R&P Labs staff into a hunt for both a treasure and a murderer. Back in the swinging 60s, Virginia McClain and Neil Brewer were lovers. Four decades on, Neil is recovering from a heart attack and his thoughts return to Virginia, now the senior bacteriologist at Seattle's R&P Labs. He suggests a romantic reunion, but Virginia turns him down, only to find, when Neil is murdered, that he has left a substantial legacy to the lab. But there's a catch -- they can only receive it if they first solve a series of clues. So the R&P staff reluctantly embark on their treasure hunt and try to track down Neil's killer, while Ellis fends off the advances of an amorous chocolatier, Mitch becomes a bodyguard and Rob discovers an unexpected talent for breaking and entering.   Excerpt Ellis made a face, picked up his briefcase and went toward the front door. “If I’m not back by eleven, send the National Guard after me,” he said. “He’s a brave little soldier, isn’t he,” remarked Mitch, as Ellis went out. “You should have seen him facing the tough end of town with hardly a whimper.” Virginia came through the door in Ellis’s wake, looking cool and crisp in a white shirt, navy blue slacks and pristine white track shoes. She accepted a cup of coffee and said, “You know, Rob, I’ve been thinking about that latest clue and wondering how many clues Neil left for us. He can hardly have expected us to spend months chasing around after them.” “Yes, I was wondering that myself,” Rob said. “He never mentioned this treasure hunt to you when you were discussing his will, did he?” “No, but of course it was all theoretical at that point. Unless he knew something he didn’t share with me, he wasn’t expecting to die any time soon.” “I wonder if he had a premonition or something,” Rob said, expecting Virginia to dismiss his words as nonsense. But she looked pensive. “It’s always possible,” she said. “He does seem to have put these clues in place pretty quickly, almost as if he expected to be attacked. I wonder if he had been threatened.” Then she shook her head briskly. “Come on, Mitch, let’s get started.”

Sweetwater
Sweetwater is the third book I've read in the series. The books were uploaded out of order so I've been reading them as they appear. I'll reread them at some point in order because I like to see how a series grows. That said, the books are fine as stand alones; there are hints of things from the past that I'm now discovering as I read towards the beginning.
The author continues to deliver a nice "cosy" mystery. This is how Hurst describes the lab: "It was a friendly place, where the coffeemaker was always on and people were always willing to chat." This is the way I feel about the characters. I could see myself having a cup of coffee with the gang or a beer or glass of wine on the deck (on one of the days the sun comes out... it IS Seattle, after all).
I must say, however, that this book made me crave chocolates so be prepared.



Sweetwater
Just finished this 2nd book in the series and enjoyed it as much as the first.
Can't wait to get stuck into the 3rd book!




Lots of Fun
I enjoyed this book. The story was interesting enough to keep me turning pages right to the end. I enjoyed the characters as well. And the plot turns into a sort of Seattle travelogue, with a rich sense of place.