Murder in the Hearse Degree — Tim Cockey

A full-time undertaker and part-time sleuth investigates a suspicious death in this darkly humorous mystery by the author of The Hearse You Came In On.

Libby, a former flame of Baltimore's most eligible mortician Hitchcock Sewell, has returned to town with her two children, but minus one husband and one nanny. Libby's husband has been accounted for -- she left him back in Annapolis. However, the nanny, Sophie, is truly missing. As soon as Hitch starts to nose around, Sophie turns up -- literally -- in the Severn River. She's quite dead, and just a little bit pregnant.

The police suspect suicide, but Sophie's mom is adamant it's murder. Hitch's intuition says to believe the mother. But as he races around Baltimore for answers, he only digs up more questions -- and more suspects.

“Those who enjoy lighthearted mysteries with screwball characters will relish Cockey's fourth outing to feature Baltimore undertaker Hitchcock Sewell.” -- Publishers Weekly