A muggy July weekend. An intimate house party. And a mystifying murder.

Toronto Homicide Inspector Paul Manziuk hits yet another dead end in his search for a serial killer and desperately needs a few days rest so he can come back with fresh eyes.

But an urgent call from a high-profile corporate lawyer disturbs his plans. What was meant to be an intimate weekend house party with a little matchmaking has been disrupted by the discovery of a woman's body in the elegant garden.

Short-staffed, Manziuk is forced into an unwilling partnership with newly promoted Constable Jacqueline Ryan. Gossip hints that the young Black woman owes her upward move to the affirmative action mandate.

Struggling to deal with the frustrated hosts and their disparate group of guests, most of whom appear to have motives for the murder as well as questionable alibis, Manziuk and Ryan are forced to ignore the sparks that flew at their first meeting and work together if they’re going to bring the case to a quick conclusion and prevent another murder.

It isn’t long before the mismatched duo feel they’ve been thrust into an Agatha Christie novel where they can’t trust anyone. Can the experienced investigator and his green partner unravel the clues and find the culprit hiding in plain sight?

Shaded Light: The Case of the Tactless Trophy Wife is the first novel in a series of classic-style whodunits set in modern-day Toronto. If you like warm-hearted mysteries filled with fascinating characters, witty dialogue, and plot twists, you’ll love J. A. Menzies’ whodunits.

Buy Shaded Light to test your crime-solving skills today!