A Little Traveling Music, Please is not a murder mystery, but rather a chase of sorts. Honey Huckleberry is puzzled when her dog Bailey receives a key in the mail. But she doesn't have much time to mull over that development, because one by one her utilities are shut off due to late payments. Since Honey is a millionaire - she discovered the money stashed in her piano bench in the first book of the series - bills shouldn't be her problem. Her accountant, Steven Bondesky, handles all of her financial affairs. Problem is, he has disappeared, along with his assistant. When Honey finds another key similar to the one her dog received in Bondesky's office, she starts to wonder if the strange occurrences are all related.

The place to start would seem to be South Padre Island, where Bailey's former owner (and Honey's occasional lover) Harry Armstead previously owned a bookstore before his recent, sudden trip back to his home in London. Honey recruits Janie Bridges, her housemate, on the trip, and the two women are off on a wild goose chase that eventually leads to Harry's London estate and some very angry, dangerous men.

I enjoyed watching Honey's character develop over the first two books in the series. She started out shy and repressed, a woman who could barely bring herself to utter an occasional "damn," and ended up facing down a roomful of murderers with great aplomb. But in Traveling Music, there's not much character growth going on. Most of Honey's behavior is more ditzy than resourceful, as she gets roped into one madcap scheme after another, courtesy of the even more flighty Janie. There's some romantic tension built up as Honey tries to choose between Harry and her former childhood friend, who has recently professed his love for her. But, given the small amount of interaction Honey has with either man, it's impossible to become too wrapped up in that particular dilemma.

Without much character development, the reader is left with an entertaining, often humorous tale. There are some amusing scenes, most featuring Honey's amazingly bad luck with weather disasters. And when Honey and Janie are joined on their journey abroad by their mutual friend, Minnie, the three women provide an engaging display of Girl Power.

There are questions left unresolved at the end of Traveling Music, but I'm not sure if I'll pick up the thread and read the fourth Honey Huckleberry mystery. I guess I'll take a chance, but I'd like to see Honey's character go somewhere emotionally as well as physically next time.

--Susan Scribner