Police investigate and believe the leg belongs to one of Time in a Bottle’s customers, Cindy, who has been missing for several days. When Cindy’s car is found, the interior covered in Cindy’s blood, police declare Cindy a murder victim and treat her disappearance as a homicide. It quickly becomes apparent that Cindy’s husband was abusive. When her daughter brings several books to Kiki saying Cindy wanted her to have them, Kiki knows Cindy is trying to give her a message, but she is not sure what that message is.

At the same time, Kiki’s business partner Bama, with whom Kiki does not get along at all, no matter how hard she tries, has been hiding some secrets of her own, secrets that may prove deadly. Kiki, widowed several years ago when her husband was murdered, is still being taunted by the murderer who has not been caught. She is also reeling after being attacked while in the hospital by her hunky detective’s wife.

Chad told Kiki that he and Brenda were away from each other, but Brenda had other ideas. What Kiki didn’t realize was that Brenda has a drug problem and she did no favors not turning the nurse in to her supervisors. Not needing any more traumas in her life, Kiki tries to move on with stable, caring Ben who is kind to Kiki and her daughter Anya, but doesn’t put the zing in Kiki’s step. Kiki is also dealing with her newly minted teenaged daughter and the usual angst, her Jewish mother-in-law who sometimes oversteps her boundaries where Anya is concerned, and the upcoming Hanukkah and Christmas holidays.

A very serious topic (not that murder isn’t serious enough) is presented here with grace and understanding. Bama’s experiences are neatly woven into the plot, bringing everything closer to home, and explaining some of the reasons why she has been prickly toward Kiki and very guarded around her. Kiki is very caring and compassionate, but is also beginning to realize she needs to take care of herself in order to continue caring for everyone around her as she so often does.

Even without a body, the police are comfortable with their arrest and a confident in a conviction, but what Kiki sees while on vacation makes her wonder if justice will be served, but at what price. There are changes in store for Kiki, professionally and personally, but there is no doubt she will handle it with her usual ease and grace…and most likely with a dead body or two.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry