Independence Day comes with fireworks, a budding romance, and hometown murder in this sharp and witty mystery by Edgar Award-nominated author Jess Lourey. When Fourth of July weekend coincides with Wenonga Days-the annual celebration of a locally famous Ojibwe leader-the town of Battle Lake double-dips on the tourist trade. This year the hullabaloo hasn-t even started and there-s already a story for reporter Mira James. The Chief Wenonga statue has disappeared, leaving behind drops of human blood and a big question for Mira: How and why would anyone steal a twenty-three-foot monument? Things go from curious to worse when a local man is kidnapped. And from worse to downright gruesome when a corpse is found in the lakeside cabin of a horticultural hottie Mira-s been crushing on from afar. Mira has no choice but to trail a statue thief, find a missing person, and clear an earthy dreamboat-s name from a murder charge. Not to mention risk her own life to unmask a cold-blooded killer. Revise
