Dead to Rites by P J Kozeman
Melissa "Mel" Hunter, the compassionate owner of the food pantry, The Giving Spoon, believes her biggest challenge is stretching donations to meet the town's needs. That changes during the annual Possum Gap Chess Tournament, a typically serene event that turns deadly. The victim is Bernard Travers, a chess master as brilliant as he is cruel, who is stung to death by a swarm of honeybees in the middle of his final match. While the phlegmatic Detective Miles Corbin is ready to label it a freak act of nature, Mel's intuition tells her otherwise. The bees targeted Bernard, ignoring hundreds of other people. Her concern deepens when a wave of public panic, fanned by the town council, leads to a vote on a mass bee extermination program. This threatens not only the local ecosystem but the livelihood of Hickory Valley's top honey producer, whose donations are a cornerstone of The Giving Spoon's offerings. With her pantry and principles on the line, Mel must find a human killer to save a million innocent lives. Her investigation leads her into the fiercely competitive world of tournament chess. There are three prime suspects, each with a powerful motive: Derek Moskov, a teenage prodigy whom Bernie publicly and viciously humiliated just moments before his death; Gregory Dowen, Bernie's lifelong rival, a man whose quiet demeanor hides decades of bitter resentment; and Arthur Pumble, a gentle beekeeper and chess enthusiast, who had the means and knowledge to command bees-and who was being threatened by Bernie over a zoning dispute regarding his apiary. With the help of sharp-witted historian, Eleanor, and best friend, Noreen, Mel delves into the 'rites' of the chess world. They realize Bernie's obsession over his ivory queen set the perfect trap. The killer didn't need to be neaby; they only needed to tamper with the board. Mel connects the dots in time to uncover the killer and save the bees. Come visit Possum Gap and see how chess, bees, and quirky locals combine to build a tale of petty rivalries, twisted revenge, and murder.| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781967892136 |
| ISBN 10 | 196789213X |
| Title | Dead to Rites |
| Author | P J Kozeman |
| Series | The Mel Hunter Mysteries |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | White Jade Publications LLC |
| Year published | 2026-06-08 |
| Number of pages | 236 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |