I must start this review out by saying, Jenn McKinlay is one of my very favorite authors. It was her Cupcake Bakery Mystery series that started me on this long glorious road of cozy mysteries. After I read every book to date in that series, I quickly bought and read every book she had published at the time under all of her pen names.  And all of that lead to me becoming a reviewer with my very own blog. So thank you, Jenn McKinlay. (And to be fair, thank you to my sister who handed me that first delightful book and said, “Read it.”)

Book three in Ms. McKinlay’s Hat Shop Mystery series, AT THE DROP OF A HAT, is another stellar offering from the author. She always has me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions when I read her books, and this title is no different. I literally laughed out loud, gasped, and even cried a little.

Her characters in this series are wonderful. I love American, Scarlett Parker and the fact that she is still trying to figure out the ways of the British. It makes for a fun balance with her very British cousin, Vivian Tremont and equally British Harrison Wentworth. I’m loving watching Scarlett’s and Harrison’s relationship progress.

As for the mystery aspect of the story, it was excellent. Ms. McKinlay is wonderful with throwing misleading clues the reader’s way. She had me going down one road when I should have been going up another. As a result, I had no idea who the killer was until the author wanted me to know.

Hats off to you Jenn McKinlay for this superb book and series!