She is getting her stamping lines up and running; though with the downturn in the economy, business has been slow.  April is enjoying getting acquainted with old friends, but learns that some things have happened during the years that she was gone that some people don’t want to talk about.  While helping her friends Mark and Deana organize their funeral home records and paperwork, April stumbles across a box of remains that has been unclaimed.  The box is highly decorated, so April knows someone cared enough to decorate the box, but why not claim the remains? 

Deana tells April to let it go, but April can’t leave it alone and learns that the remains are those of her friend Mary Lou’s brother who was killed in a meth lab explosion the year before.  When April learns that J.B. is still alive and visiting Mary Lou’s daughter Kit, she becomes very interested in why he may have faked his death.

But before April can ask too many questions, she stumbles upon a car accident on a snowy road.  J.B. is in the car, barely alive.  Just before he dies, J.B. gives April a business card. Instead of giving it to the police, she goes to the address on the card and after breaking the news of J.B.’s death, begins asking questions of that person as well. 

All April’s question asking is infuriating Mary Lou, whose relationship with J.B. was difficult to begin with, but who has been devastated by his death, not once, but twice.  April’s questions have also upset someone else; when an attempt on April’s life goes wrong, innocent people are killed, people very close to April. 

April is normally a very likable character and this series has been a very enjoyable one.  This time out, however, April is very annoying, asking questions and poking and prodding, pressing people for answers they don’t want to give.  April has no stakes in whose remains are in the box, what happened to J.B., why J.B. faked his death and what caused his real death.  She is friendly with Kit and Mary Lou, but they are not so close that April should have a reason to get this involved in their lives. 

When an explosion meant to kill April kills innocent people, she doesn’t seem as shaken up as might be expected and is able to continue with her plans to help boyfriend Mitch win the ice carving competition at the local ice festival.  When Mitch presents her with a surprise in front of a crowd, April is so shocked and concerned about how this gesture affects her that she embarrasses the man with whom she is falling in love in front of their friends and community.

April aside, the plot is very good, the mystery well constructed and the social topics (foreclosure and drug making and abuse in a small community) are handled well.   There are some stamping tips and a stamping project at the end, an added bonus for crafters.                                                                            

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry