Vince Darner is running for a senate seat and is also looking to buy some property to develop that Eve and Lillian have listed. At a rezoning hearing, an environmental activist, Lauren DeWitt appears, apparently on Lillian's behalf, and cites an old oft overlooked subdivision mistake that may prevent the lot from being developed. While pleased with the ultimate outcome of the hearing, Lillian is less than pleased the way Lauren represented herself as an agent of Lillian's and the way the tables have turned and the well-respected business woman in the community is now looked at with a raised eyebrow by many.

All at once, the stakes are raised, and Lillian and Even find themselves caught between trying to run a business and make a living, trying to legitimately sell real estate while preserving the integrity of the Maryland coast and trying to keep the environment safe, all at once. When Lauren turns up dead, Eve realizes just how high the stakes are and realizes she may just have stumbled onto something in the past that someone may be willing to kill to keep buried.

While Dead Man's Fingers has the elements of a very interesting mystery, one that is very timely with the current growing concern with overdevelopment and protecting the environment, it is mired down with too many characters, many of whom are very similar to others, causing confusion many times. The details of the zoning hearings and environmental tests add authenticity to the book, but may be too much for the reader with a more casual interest in environmental concerns. The steamy Maryland shore makes a perfect backdrop for the rising tempers that flare up.

While the murder is well laid out, the motive is not quite as clear. There are one or two surprises left for the very end that may make readers willing to give Eve Elliott another look.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry