Currently Gerry’s group is working on projects in the Bolivian tradition of Alasita, making or buying something in miniature that you wish for yourself and family for the coming year.  Bookstore owner Rosie Norman is recreating the locker scene from the Lincoln Point High School in the hopes that former BMOC, David Bridges, will finally notice her at their upcoming thirtieth high school reunion. 

Rosie has high hopes as she has recently been receiving small gifts signed “DB” and has an invitation that appears to be from David to an intimate cocktail party in his San Francisco hotel room on the first evening of the reunion. Teachers are invited and Rosie asks Gerry to accompany her to the reunion.  Gerry reluctantly agrees because it means driving between San Francisco and Lincoln Point for some of the events and she has no one else to watch Maddie. 

Anyone who has survived a high school crush will not be surprised to learn that David claims to have nothing to do with the gifts Rosie has recently received, nor has he invited her up to his room for a quiet evening.  When David is found murdered the next day, and Rosie’s vignette destroyed, police naturally look to her as a suspect. 

Gerry’s nephew Skip is in charge of the investigation and she is able to convince Skip that he should look a little further before zeroing in on a suspect.  One good thing that does come out of Gerry’s attendance at the reunion is her running into shop teacher Henry Baker, now also a widower, and his granddaughter Taylor who hits it off famously with Maddie.

Margaret Grace’s Geraldine Porter cozy mysteries are usually very interesting, highlighting the close relationship between grandmother and granddaughter.  Leaving Lincoln Point, even with Maddie, takes Gerry out of her element and doesn’t give a lot of time to the pair, nor does precocious Maddie get a lot of public time with her “uncle” Skip, also normally enjoyable scenes. 

The relationship between Gerry and Rosie seems forced, Rosie owns the bookstore that Gerry frequents and they craft together, but they don’t seem to have an especially close relationship and it seems awkward that the two share a room at the reunion.  No one will be sad to see David dead, the real murderer stands out clearly, and the motive doesn’t seem terribly compelling.  Normally, a terrific series, this entry will disappoint longtime fans and is unlikely to win any new ones.  

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry