Stamped Out

Stamped Out by Terri Thayer is the first book in a new series with April Buchert, a interior designer who has moved back to her small home town in Pennsylvania. She's been in California for awhile and is not sure she is glad to be home - even if it means shedding her deadbeat husband behind. But she has not mentioned that to her parents yet. She's still learning to deal with them being in the same town. Her dad and his partner have invited her to work with them on the latest project they are general contracting. And while checking out the site to be demolished, a body is found.

Who is it? No one has gone missing for years. This was a house her dad had worked on before and had bankrupted his company on the job. This house was trouble from the start, with continual changes from the owner, it's eventual fall into disrepair, and status as the local teen hideout. How many old memories will have to be dug up? How many old grudges? April learns that she was not the only one with troubles on her mind, the summer the house was built.

This book has some interesting characters, April who is an artist and trying to come to terms and change things in life, and there is her best friend Deana. Deana is the one organizing and hosting the rubber-stamping parties but her main job is her family's funeral home. (And actually that is pretty interesting.) During these crafting nights - all sorts of gossip is let loose and you learn a lot about the rest of the characters. (This does happen at some craft nights!)

Thayer's book is billed as "A Stamping Sisters Mystery" but really it is just a mystery with some rubber stamping thrown in. Let's hope there is a little more integration between the topics for the next one, because I like the characters and I'm interested in seeing what happens next. A good read.