Between the psychic fair, raising money for a little boy who has a life-threatening disease and trying to save the bookmobile route, the last thing Josie needs to find is a dead body. But this is exactly what she finds while navigating the corn maze with boyfriend Owen. Josie met psychic Ginny Proffitt just the day when the odd woman left an old fashioned suitcase with Josie. Ginny’s death is ruled a suicide, she had a gun shot wound and a suicide note on her, but Josie isn’t satisfied. Josie is certain the woman has a connection to Dru, no matter how much he denies it, but she can’t convince the police of foul play.

Josie is an independent young woman who has taken much on. She inherited her family’s laundromat and is the caretaker for her handicapped cousin Guy. She has begun a relationship wit Owen who is very guarded about his past. Owen is purported to have three Ph.D’s, has been married, has a son and has spent time in prison for a man he killed in self-defense. Given Josie’s age of twenty-nine, Owen must be much older to have accomplished and have gone through so much, though he is not portrayed as such.

Paradise is presented as small town America, though it is sometimes too precious with multiple chili-spaghetti fund raising dinners, the town rallying around to save the bookmobile at peril to the periodical and video collection and a Chinese restaurant that serves banana pudding made with vanilla wafers.

Josie’s nickname has long been “Nosy Josie,” appropriate for someone who works where “everything comes out in the wash” and sometimes pushes people too far. She continues to tell people she saw Dru with Ginny, even though he insists Josie was mistaken. Her motive appears to be that she just doesn’t care for the minister. When the mystery is finally unraveled it is intriguing, but the clues don’t all add up to a logical conclusion. A happy ending is assured for most as Josie continues to keep Paradise, Ohio’s clothes clean.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry