I have been a Hoopla kick as of late. Hoopla is on of my free online libraries.  I love Hoopla for books as I can download them immediately and don’t have to wait on a waitlist for books. My latest book was A Death at Tippitt Pond by Susan Van Kirk.
I ended up liking the book. It was a story of a girl that was adopted, didn’t know she was adopted, and later finds out she has inherited money from her biological family when her last living family member dies.
The story includes a mystery as to how her mother died at a young age. It’s rumored that her biological father killed her…but did he? It’s a great mix.
I ended up very much enjoying the story. Here’s what Amazon had to say:
“Secrets long buried surround the murder of teenage Melanie Tippitt. The daughter of a wealthy family in a small town, her lifeless body was found floating in Tippitt Pond in the summer of 1971. Six people were there that day, and one was convicted of her murder. Case closed.
Now, forty-five years later, Beth Russell, a freelance researcher, and genealogist is brought to the town by a lawyer who believes Russell is the daughter of Melanie Tippitt and long-lost heir to the Tippitt fortune. Soon Beth finds herself surrounded by people who want her gone as soon as possible, people with a great deal to lose. The more they push, the more determined Beth is to discover the truth. With the help of a handsome detective, Beth vows to uncover what happened that day at Tippitt Pond.
The ghostly presence of Melanie Tippitt, a stranger watching from the woods, and the discovery of secrets in Tippitt House makes for a suspense-filled investigation where Beth discovers … A DEATH AT TIPPITT POND changed everything.”
Amazon readers gave it 4.5 stars. I’d say 4.4. I enjoyed the book and would definitely try something from this author again.
I noticed when writing this review that there is a note by the book that says, “Book 1 of 1: The Sweet Iron Mysteries”. I’m a little confused as there are no more books listed that seem to go with the series. This book was published in 2019 so…one would think if another book in the “series” was coming, it would already be out?? I don’t know. I’ll keep watching.
The book is really set up perfectly for a series… its hometown… its endearing characters…there’s a cop involved and a touch of romance. I think that’s a perfect mix for a series. I hope the author truly does write another.
If you are interested, you can find the book HERE.
I too love getting Hoopla books. This author has another book available when I searched her name. Thanks for the recommendation.
My library doesn’t subscribe to Hoopla and our library system has only two books by Susan Van Kirk. However, in my travels across the internet searching for more by this author, her blog mentions the research she is doing for the 2nd and 3rd books in this series. She has more series mentioned on her website as well. Thanks for the tip, Jo, and happy reading/listening to everyone who enjoys a cozy mystery now and then!