That Missing Piece Is Killing Me - (An Alice Pepper Lonely Hearts and Puzzle Club Mystery) by Roz Noonan

Book Synopsis

Recently divorced, 60-something librarian Alice Pepper and her crew of puzzle-obsessed friends in the small town of West Hazel, Oregon investigate the disappearance of a former action film starlet in New York Times bestselling author Roz Noonan's latest mystery. Perfect for fans of Robert Thorogood, Jesse Q. Sutanto, and Ellery Adams.

The owner of a dance and martial arts studio, 63-year-old Michelle Chong is a well-liked fixture in the West Hazel community, despite being married to the famous--and famously temperamental--artist, Lars Olsen. That's why when she disappears, people don't blame her for fleeing her dysfunctional marriage. Still, Alice has her suspicions, especially after learning about Lars' violent past--and current affair.

When Alice receives a custom-made puzzle as a gift, the artwork seems so familiar that she assumes it's from Lars as an apology for his bad behavior during a recent visit. As she and her friends get to work on it, they're stymied by a missing piece.

With evidence pointing to Michelle's disappearance being planned, Alice turns her attention to her own fractured family. But a shocking chain of events, culminating in a brutal murder, makes Alice question if any piece of the past can ever be put to rest . . .

Review Quotes

Praise for The Alice Pepper Lonely Hearts and Puzzle Club Mysteries by Roz Noonan

"This second book in the series expands deeper in Alice's world--which is loving and caring, yes, but also features major pieces of the past she has been unable to resolve. For fans of Richard Osman, Nancy Bush, and Leslie Meier." --firstCLUE on That Missing Piece is Killing Me

"An Oregon librarian gets sucked into a murder case and discovers that her skills in researching give her quite a knack for it." --Kirkus Reviews on Puzzle Me a Murder

"Puzzle Me a Murder has it all--jigsaw puzzle clues, tarot card readings, small-town intrigue, a big, homey house, a looming wedding, and a murder. Alice Pepper and her endearing collection of family members and friends grab your attention and pull you along as they fit the puzzle pieces together to reveal the big picture and solve the big case." --Barbara Ross, author of Torn Asunder

"Suspense, humor, a challenging mystery puzzle, and characters you want to spend time with . . . even if one of them might be a murderer. Roz Noonan's Puzzle Me a Murder has it all." --David Rosenfelt, National Bestselling Author of Dog Day Afternoon
"Details of running a library frame this satisfying series starter about a group of women, including those of a certain age, solving a murder. Suggest to fans of Lee Hollis' Poppy Harmon cozy mysteries." --Booklist on Puzzle Me a Murder

"Much as her librarian sleuth Alice Pepper completes her much-loved jigsaw puzzles, author Roz Noonan snaps the final piece of this delightful and entertaining whodunit into place with a satisfying click. I can't wait for the next Puzzle Club mystery!" --Leslie Meier, author of Patchwork Quilt Murder

"Set in Oregon's picturesque Willamette Valley, and with a cast of lively, engaging characters, Puzzle Me A Murder is an enjoyable read that will have you puzzling over all the pieces of this clever mystery until the end." --Darci Hannah, author of A Fatal Feast at Bramsford Manor

About the Author

Roz Noonan is the New York Times bestselling author of the Alice Pepper Lonely Hearts Puzzle Club Mysteries, the Laura Mori Mysteries (under the name R.J. Noonan), acclaimed contemporary fiction, and domestic suspense novels. She also co-authored the bestselling collaborative novels Sinister and Ominous with Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush, and she also writes crime novels under the name R. J. Noonan. She lives in the Pacific Northwest, where she writes in the shade of some towering two-hundred-year-old Douglas fir trees, and can be found online at RosalindNoonanBooks.com.