A good cozy mystery can be hard to find, despite the enduring popularity of the genre. The most critical element of a successful cozy is creating a likable amateur sleuth; in A Secondhand Murder, Lesley A. Diehl more than succeeds with her protagonist, Eve Appel.

Eve’s found a new home in rural Florida, and a new career as co-owner of a secondhand store located far away enough from the glitter of moneyed coastal communities for broke socialites to resell their glitz on the down low. She’s tough and direct, but has a soft heart for her disaster-prone business partner, and for her beloved grandmother. Eve’s appealing right from the start, and her courage and humor are a winning combination.

The book’s setting, “cowboy country” Florida, is distinctive and engaging, and Diehl’s deft in catching details of local color. The mystery’s plot is clever without being convoluted, and the pacing is admirably brisk. This book is the first in a promising series, and I’m looking forward to more of Eve Appel’s adventures!