Hush Puppy (©1991)

Melanie Travis Series #6
by Laurien Berenson

Melanie Travis is reveling in her teaching job at Connecticut's elite Howard Academy, basking in her role as mother to six-year-old Davey, and thoroughly enjoying the company of her sexy fiancé Sam. But fate is about to hurl a few surprises her way.
      At Howard Academy, plans are underway for a Spring Pageant to honor the school's founding a half century earlier, and Melanie is immersed in the preparations. Hurrying to retrieve a painting of one of the illustrious co-founders, she comes upon a disturbing scene: Eugene Krebbs, the Academy's elderly caretaker is arguing loudly with a girl half his size. Before Melanie can learn more than the girl's first name—Jane—she disappears.
      It's clear that Jane isn't a student at Howard Academy, so what is she doing there? Melanie doesn't have a chance to answer that question before more problems arise. At a local

dog show, an alluring brunette from Sam's past shows up with the intention of staking her claim on his future. If that isn't enough, two days later, Krebbs is discovered stabbed to death right on the school grounds.
      Now Melanie is embroiled in a full-fledged homicide investigation as she tries to find out who's added murder to the school's curriculum. Although her first suspect is Jane, there's more than one Howard Academy staff member who is suddenly acting as if he has something to hide. And as Melanie's trail leads her dangerously closer to the truth, she must race against time to track down a cunning killer before she becomes the next victim to be hushed...forever.
      With Hush Puppy, Laurien Berenson has crafted a complex and highly entertaining mystery full of plot twists that will keep readers guessing right until its satisfying end.