Beth has trouble saying no to Marina and before she realizes what's happening, Beth is taking minutes for one of the most controversial PTA meetings in the history of the school. Principals are sometimes not particularly popular figures around schools but Agnes Mephisto is disliked by parents, children and other faculty and staff. She has just announced that the school has received private funding for a new addition that will house a large library, more computers and a music department. The addition is not particularly attractive and the parents are outraged that Agnes would proceed with her plans in secret, not involving any of the community or other staff members, even if the issue does not need to be voted on as tax money is not being used.

The next morning, Agnes is found murdered in her home and there is no shortage of suspects. Beth draws the job of phoning Agnes's sister to offer the PTA's condolences and is asked to clean out Agnes's home of perishables until the family can get there and to send some family mementos to the family. Beth agrees even though she does not need a longer to-do list and soon realizes there was a lot more to Agnes than met the eye, and maybe, just maybe, she was not murdered by an irate tax payer displeased with her plan.

Murder at the PTA, the first in a new series, introduces a new heroine, Beth, who is trying to juggle single motherhood, an ex-husband, her own business, and a small social life (mostly home cooked meals with Marina). Beth appears generally level-headed and is dedicated not only to her children, who always come first, but to her bookstore and its employees, one of whom she takes a special interest in, even at her busiest.

Beth is very kind and tries to make as many people happy as she can, but does this easily and is not overly sugary. In an odd coincidence, Beth runs into an old elementary school mate, reinforcing the elementary school theme and possibly adding a love interest in Beth's life. (And who hasn't carried a torch for their kindergarten crush?)

The revealing of Agnes's life is interesting and opens up many more possible theories of her murder. When the murderer thinks a blogging Marina has stumbled across the truth, she and Beth find themselves in serious danger at the person's hands they least suspect, for reasons that everyone finds surprising. There are a lot of details about Beth's life thrown in that don't always seem to fit when they are first introduced, but they are neatly explained throughout the rest of the book, setting the stage for a series with possibilities.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry