A Whiff of Murder (A Sixth Sense Mystery)

This intoxicating debut spin-off of the author’s popular small-town Oregon-set Witch Way Librarian mysteries features an intriguing young woman with a unique ability to sniff out a killer . . . Some people read auras, Lise Bloom reads ribbons—of fragrance, that is. Whether she’s around old friends or new, fragrance often unfurls from them—an ability called “clairalience.” Hoping to gain insight into her gift, Lise works at the Lucky Lotus, a New Age shop. Unfortunately, the oils the owner, Dyann, concocts nauseate Lise and impede her sense of scent. Worse, the shop feels more like wealthy Dyann’s hobby than a spiritual place, thanks to her toxic relationship with her ex-husband, Richard. Dyann is so pleased with her latest vengeful scheme that she shares it with Lise and gleefully remarks that when Richard finds out, he’ll kill her. For Lise, it’s the last straw. Persuaded to quit by her caring, colorful crew of housemates, Lise emails Dyann a resignation letter. But when she goes to the store the next morning, she detects a fetid odor she doesn’t recognize—and discovers a spilled bottle of Mayan ceremonial liqueur . . . beside Dyann’s dead body.