Dear Killer — Linda Lovely

Words to die for

The peaceful South Carolina resort community of Dear Island is struck by a serial killer whose murderous actions speak louder than words. Property appraiser Stew Hartwell is the first to die. His body is found in the Dolphin Club's Jacuzzi amid an assortment of bobbing vegetables, the word STEWED crudely scrawled on a nearby planter.

Working security for the island, retired military intelligence officer Marley Clark finds the body, but it's only the beginning of a bizarre killing spree. More corpses, each accompanied by a dark twisted wordplay, put her skills to the test. Working the case alongside a hunky sheriff's investigator, Marley uncovers shady real-estate dealings. And that spells more danger for Marley, as a killer closes in, determined to make her the next victim of a deadly pun…and her retirement permanent.