Third Degree [Hardcover]

On her way to meet her boyfriend's parents, college professor Alison Bergeron stops by a coffee shop to steel her resolve. It's a big event. Not only is it the first time she's met NYPD detective Bobby Crawford's entire family, but it's coming on the heels of a wedding proposal that she has left unanswered so far.

Then, as she steps into the shop, a brawl breaks out that ends in the death of Carter Wilmott, a merciless and loathed local blogger. The case couldn't be any simpler, and Alison witnessed the whole thing, but when Wilmott's car explodes in the aftermath, what looked to be a crime of passion becomes something far more complicated and maybe even premeditate.

With Alison and Bobby involved in the case and with each other, readers are in for a treat.Third Degree, the latest in Maggie Barbieri's charming mystery series, is one heated mystery with plenty of steamy romance and cunning villains who are about to get burned.

Maggie Barbieri's father was a member of the NYPD, and his stories provide much of the background for her novels. This is her fifth Murder 101 mystery, the follow-up toFinal Exam. Maggie lives in Westchester County, New York.

The secret to a good mystery series is an appealing character. . . . Maggie Barbieri came up with a winner in her first book, and her amateur sleuth, Alison Bergeron, is still provoking laughs and sympathy in the fourth entry,Final Exam. . . . Barbieri aces this exam. Richmond Times-Dispatch on Final Exam

Cute and cozy . . . Barbieri, the daughter of an NYC cop, has a nice, light touch with a procedural. New York Daily News on Final Exam

Mystery, romance, and humor blend seamlessly. . . . Reminiscent of the Plum series, this one is not to be missed. RT Book Reviews (Top Pick!) on Quick Study

Bergeron's romantic trials and fashion sense are comparable to Sara Paretsky's V.I. Warshawski. . . .Extracurricular Activitieswilll³w