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Private Notes
When newly promoted Detective Sergeant Mattie Stone is assigned to her hometown of Wildemarsh for duty, her boss strictly warns that her job will not require the help of her three crime-writing aunts, Beth, Cat, and Jane. But when a murder takes place at the local crime-writers' festival, Mattie struggles to keep the well-meaning amateur sleuths out of the investigation.
With another killing and Beth a suspect, Mattie races to solve the case and clear her aunt's name. Was it Oscar's publisher, who was skimming off the top? His literary agent, who was at risk of losing Oscar's contract to a rival? Or a fellow author, whom Oscar had accused of plagiarizing?
'80s new wave band Volcanic Youth is in town to record a new album, but Kat feels troubled about the reunion after her contentious breakup with the band years ago. Mattie is assigned the unglamorous job of searching for a lost dog, but the case is put on hold when one of Volcanic Youth's members turns up murdered.
Mattie investigates a new victim: the band's manager, who was stabbed in the back with a kitchen knife. While searching for clues, Mattie finds the recording the lead singer made right before she died, but an incident from the past may be the key to solving the case.
The stage adaptation of Jane's book endures numerous snafus before opening night: electrical problems, feuding cast members, and a notorious arts critic writing a potentially bad review. Meanwhile, Mattie searches for new clues in the case of her missing mother, but an onstage murder brings her to the theatre.
Contending with another murder and a missing lead actress, the theatre company is forced to switch up the cast, but their production is a mess. Despite Mattie's objections, Beth and Cat continue to pursue leads on their own.
Beth and Cat head to a luxury spa run by Dr Angela Isherwood, who unexpectedly announces her retirement, names her successor, and then that night is murdered. Matilda's initial suspects are the disgruntled staff, but the guests also harbor secrets, and Cat is intrigued by rumors that Dr Isherwood won the money for the spa through gambling. Meanwhile, Dr. Lynch has news that upsets Matilda.
Matilda now has two murders to solve, made more complicated by the fact that one of the victims was using a fake identity. Matilda and Dr. Lynch devise a clever strategy to discover the victim's real name, while Beth and Jane find evidence of blackmail in Dr. Isherwood's office. Cat returns with a lead from the casinos, and Matilda eventually uncovers a tragedy waiting to be avenged.
Aunt Cat's art exhibit at Wildemarsh's trendiest new gallery is marred when Fintan Boyle, the ex-husband of the gallery owner, is discovered dead on star artist Keith Kane's installation. Kane is the prime suspect, but plenty of people had motives to kill Boyle. When one of the suspects beats a hasty retreat, it's unclear if he fled or was abducted.
A violent message hidden within an artwork suggests Cox isn't the only one with something to hide. Matilda finds evidence of a destroyed forgery, and Jane puts her computer skills to work uncovering more shady dealings within the world of modern art. Meanwhile, Kane has fallen of the rails, and his assistant worries for his safety. Could he be another victim of the killer?
Matilda investigates what appears to be a robbery with clues reminiscent of her own mother’s disappearance — and then Aunt Jane finds a body and the case becomes a murder. But as Matilda searches for the identity of the killer, there are other parties, much closer to home, who’d prefer Matilda not to disturb too many secrets.
Matilda investigates what appears to be a robbery with clues reminiscent of her own mother’s disappearance — and then Aunt Jane finds a body and the case becomes a murder. But as Matilda searches for the identity of the killer, there are other parties, much closer to home, who’d prefer Matilda not to disturb too many secrets.
