Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

A Score to Settle by Donna Huston Murray gives readers another compelling installment in the Ginger Barnes Main Line Mysteries series. Ginger rushes to Norfolk, Virginia, to support her cousin Michelle and finds herself in the middle of a high-profile murder investigation. A professional football player has been killed, and Michelle’s husband, Doug, his longtime rival, becomes the prime suspect. With Michelle’s only alibi for Doug putting her own safety at risk, Ginger reluctantly steps into the case. What starts as a bid to protect her family quickly turns into a fully-fledged investigation as Ginger navigates the cutthroat world of professional sports, media scrutiny, and hidden motives. This cozy mystery offers a perfect blend of amateur sleuthing, suspense, and heartfelt stakes, making it a must-read for fans of the genre.

Author Donna Huston Murray has a real knack for knowing when to drop the next breadcrumb that gets you hooked from the earliest moments of the novel for a smart and engaging mystery with a likable and tenacious heroine. I liked Ginger immediately, thanks to the warmth of the narration around her, and it’s clear that the author loves her too and knows her inside and out. The realistic and grounded portrayal of her practical skills and her emotional responses to both personal and work-related dangers is engaging, making for a well-paced, cleverly plotted mystery with plenty of surprises. The tone matches the characters well, and the football world is introduced with great detail and context to make a story that’s perfect for cozy mystery fans who enjoy a touch of sports intrigue or entering a new world that’s often separate from this type of novel. Overall, A Score to Settle is a highly recommended read for fans of accomplished mysteries and compelling whodunits that keep readers guessing.