Beaver Island

A retired intelligence agent still wants to save the world. Her nerdy houseguest just wants to survive her vacation.

Former spy Irma Abercrombie wasn't looking for drama when she invited Violet Blackheart—a brainy, sun-deprived acquaintance—for a visit at her island home. But after an armed robbery in town goes terribly wrong, Irma gets pulled into an island intrigue: Was it a simple snatch and grab, or are there darker forces at work?

Irma's hands might be deadly weapons, but she's all thumbs when it comes to computer problems. How will she convince Violet to investigate a technology puzzle masterminded by someone with a taste for murder? And if Irma's so retired, what's up with the dead guy in her driveway?

Violet embraces a budding cupcake addiction while Irma grapples with a bomb threat and wonders how she ended up with a pug as a sidekick...and whether Violet might be hiding a few secrets of her own. They're headed for a showdown at a luxurious island estate—but they can only flush out a killer if they work together.

Perfect for fans of Jesse Q Sutanto's Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers and Deanna Raybourn's Killers of a Certain Age.