Tight as a Tick

A crafty killer lurks among the prized collectibles of the local flea market in the fifth in Toni L.P. Kelner’s mystery series. There’s nothing Laura Fleming’s Southern family likes better than a get-together, and cousin Augustus returning from the army is a perfect reason to gather for a party in Byerly, North Carolina. While Laura and her scholar husband, Richard, are in town, her formidable great-aunt Maggie has an assignment in mind. Carney Alexander was recently found dead under his own table at Tight as a Tick Flea Market, where Aunt Maggie is a regular dealer. She and the other vendors weren’t overly fond of Carney—general opinion is that the man was nosy, ornery, and had a mean streak a mile wide. Why Aunt Maggie is so intent on solving the crime is a mystery in its own right, but Laura can’t let her down. The flea market’s regulars prove as colorful and quirky as the goods they offer, and plenty had reason for wanting to see Carney and his stall shut down permanently. But locating the genuine article among a slew of motives won’t be easy—especially with the killer in the market for another victim...