The body in the birches / Katherine Hall Page.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

At home on Sanpere Island, Maine, caterer and amateur sleuth Faith Fairchild discovers that real estate can be murder, especially when it's all in the family, in this twenty-second book in the popular mystery series.

The Fourth of July is one of the hottest on record and even the breeze off Penobscot Bay can't seem to cool things down for Faith Fairchild and the rest of the folks on Sanpere Island. But the fireworks are just beginning. After the celebrations are over, Faith discovers a body in the woods near The Birches, an early twentieth-century "cottage."

The body is identified as The Birches' housekeeper, who seems to have succumbed to a heart attack. The death is only one of the dramatic events upending the historic house. A family gathering has been called to decide who will inherit the much loved, and very valuable, estate that has been in the Proctor family for generations. With this much money involved, it's just a matter of time before trouble arises.

Faith is juggling her own family problems. Her teenage son, Ben, has started a new job as a dishwasher at The Laughing Gull Lodge--learning things that could land him in very hot water. And her daughter Amy is worried about her new friend, Daisy Proctor. Daisy is terrified--convinced that someone is trying to eliminate her mother from getting a share of The Birches. To protect her children, Faith has to find a possible murderer--before he strikes too close to her own home.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

It's the Fourth of July on Sanpere Island, off the coast of Maine. Proctor family members have gathered at The Birches to learn who will inherit the historic summer cottage. Faith Fairchild is also vacationing on the island, staying with her family at her friend Pix Miller's house while their own summer residence is being rebuilt. When Faith discovers the body of the Proctors' housekeeper in the woods, it is assumed that she died of a heart attack. But soon it becomes clear that someone is trying to sabotage the reading of the will. Faith also worries about her own family: her husband's mother is ill; son Ben has overheard things at his summer job that could have serious repercussions; and daughter Amy's new friend Daisy Proctor has her own troubles. VERDICT Reading this enjoyable long-running series is like having a conversation with an old friend. Faith and her family continue to grow, and now having teenagers will test her and Tom's patience. Anyone who likes Joan Hess and Donna Andrews will appreciate this well-crafted mystery (the 22nd after The Body in the Piazza). © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publishers Weekly Review

Set on Sanpere, a resort island off the Maine coast, Page's winning 22nd Faith Fairchild mystery (after 2013's The Body in the Piazza) centers on who will inherit the Birches, a summer "cottage" built in the late 19th century by Josiah and Eleanor Proctor, the great-grandparents of Sophie Maxwell. A year after the death of Sophie's childless great-aunt, Priscilla McAllister, the prospective heirs are summoned to the Birches by Sophie's great-uncle-in-law, Paul McAllister. Per his late wife's request, Paul must decide which Proctor descendant will get the grand house. Could the death of the Birches' housekeeper, Bev, be related to the fierce competition among the family for Paul's favor? Meanwhile, caterer Faith, her minister husband, and their two children are summering on Sanpere. When 15-year-old Ben Fairchild, for whom Sophie once babysat, unwittingly puts her life in grave danger, the stakes-and the suspense-rise. Tasty recipes round out the volume. Agent: Faith Hamlin, Sanford J. Greenburger Associates. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Booklist Review

Sanpere Island, off the coast of Maine, celebrates the Fourth of July with a traditional parade, clambakes, and community fireworks. For Faith Fairchild, who runs a catering firm in the Boston suburbs, this is a chance to practice her craft and to distract herself from worries about her mother-in-law, hospitalized following a heart attack. For Sophie Maxwell, on the island at her mother's behest, it is a chance to retreat to the kitchen with her great-aunt's longtime housekeeper, preparing the traditional fare for the descendants of the Proctor family gathered at the Birches, their lavish estate. Who among the three cousins and their offspring will be designated sole heir to the estate? After the fireworks, Faith hears a scream from the stand of birches near where Faith is staying: Sophie has found the body of the housekeeper. As the days go on, there are more suspicious events, and Faith begins her sleuthing. Fans of this long-running series will enjoy the glimpse into Faith's rich life, reported with flowing narration, as well as the five picnic-friendly recipes.--Muller, Karen Copyright 2010 Booklist