Hannah Swensen has dated eligible dentist Norman Rhodes off and on for some time now, but has never thought about marrying him. But early one morning, a phone call from him sets her world on edge. He has purchased a piece of land and plans to build a house, but not just any old thing. He and Hannah had worked together on a design for a contest the year before, and he’s decided to recreate it. “Their dream house,” as he puts it.
But he wouldn’t build such a nice big house just for himself, would he? Hannah’s imagination starts churning. Somewhere in this whole package has to be a marriage proposal.
Her sister Andrea is Norman’s real estate agent, and Hannah pulls her aside to talk it over. Andrea thought for sure that Norman was planning to pop the question, and she’s as surprised as Hannah that he hasn’t said the magic words. As time goes by, Hannah wonders what’s the matter with her. Why wouldn’t he want to marry her? It doesn’t have anything to do with the extra weight she’s put on since last summer, does it?
In order to build on the land Norman purchased, he first has to arrange for the existing house to be demolished. Former owner Rhonda Scharf included all the furnishings in with the deal, just perfect to be sold at the antique store Hannah’s mother runs. He invites Hannah over to the house to help him go through and decide what to give the shop. But they find more than just beautiful furniture – they find Rhonda, dead.
Hannah’s gotten used to finding dead bodies, but this time it’s personal – Rhonda was eating one of Hannah’s lemon meringue pies when she was killed. Putting a detective hat on over her red curls, Hannah sets about solving two mysteries – who killed Rhonda, and why hasn’t Norman proposed?
(This book was published in 2003 by Kensington Publishing.)
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