Road Trips Can Be Murder — Connie Shelton

Charlie receives an assignment to drive a teen runaway girl back to her home in Arizona. It’s about a six hour drive each way, and all she has to do is deliver the girl back to her mother, enjoy a night in a nice hotel, turn around and drive back. She’ll be home in plenty of time to bake the Thanksgiving pies with Elsa and settle into the holiday season back in Albuquerque. Or not.From the get-go, the trip is fraught with problems. Traffic is horrible, weather is moving in, and the only motel they can get into is a dump. Sophie is a 13-year-old with attitude, challenging Charlie to keep her cool at every step. Basically, everything that can go wrong, does go wrong, and the quick job turns into a stress-filled trip. And then there’s a murder.The girl’s mother is a no-show and the dead guy is mom’s boyfriend, leaving Charlie to figure out what she’ll do with this obstinate teen.Things brighten up when Charlie meets a group of five Arizona women who have a bit of experience at the mystery game themselves. The Heist Ladies are on a case with tentacles that overlap with Charlie’s. Working together, can they find the missing mom and get the young teen settled, and will Charlie make it home in time for the holiday?Praise for this USA Today bestselling series:“Charlie is just what readers want.” –Booklist“The Heist Ladies series is going to be off the charts! Thank you Connie Shelton for such an awesome book.” – 5 stars, Goodreads reviewer“A page turner!” - K. Coonce, 5 star review (for Escapes Can Be Murder)“I always love Charlie’s escapades. She keeps me glued to the story, unable to put it down. Love the mixture of humor and suspense. Can’t wait for the next adventure!” – Meg, 5 stars on Amazon“Each book in the series just keeps getting better and better.” – Vine Voice reviewer on Amazon“Charlie is a fabulous amateur sleuth!” – Midwest Book Review