At the most recent meeting, librarian Claire seems odd and distracted, not her usually enthusiastic, organized self.  The next day, Maggie finds a body in the basement of the library that turns out to be Claire’s former boyfriend from Baltimore.  When the local Saint Stanley, Virginia Police find out about the deceased’s past (and Claire’s), she becomes their number one suspect and finds herself in jail. 

Maggie and the girls rally around Claire, getting the young genius who scoops ice cream at the local creamery, but who just happens to have a law degree, to defend her.  Maggie  is having conflicted feelings about dealing with the new sheriff, Sam Collins, who was once a high school sweetheart who Maggie thinks did her wrong.  Becoming this involved with the sheriff’s department also brings up memoires of Maggie’s husband who was the sheriff many years ago and who was killed in the line of duty leaving Maggie a young widow with a young daughter. 

Maggie and the Good Buy Girls have faith in Sam but know he is inexperienced and might lead a little help so they begin to poke around and realize that a killer may be closer to them than they realize.

Maggie and her friends are a warm group of women who support each other not only in bargain hunting but in other aspects of their lives, such as Joanna’s quest to become pregnant, Ginger’s battle to feed her four sons and husband on a limited budget.  Maggie and Ginger have been Saint Stanley friends since high school and, with the reappearance of Sam Collins, and the ever present nemesis Summer Phillips, some past events are uncovered and may alter the course of Maggie’s future. 

Maggie is very good-hearted and loyal, making people open up to her which allows her to learn things that eventually lead to a killer.  The final clue is unexpected and curious, but ties into Maggie and her friends in an interesting way.  While some of the characters are a little over-the-top (Max and Summer), overall this is a fun, well-plotted mystery with the added bonus of some money-saving tips. 

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry