Review of Death on Lily Pond Lane by Carrie Doyle

In the very entertaining "Death on Lily Pond Lane", Antonia discovers the body of a young man who was in East Hampton to make a documentary film (really an expose) of the rich and famous on the island. Since she found the body in a house where she was serving as a caretaker, Antonia is determined to find out just what happened to Warner, and who he made angry with his documentary. There are plenty of suspects (this is East Hampton, you know), and Antonia comes up with several candidates and ruffles a few feathers. Death on Lily Pond Lane is a real page-turner; it's fast moving and full of twists, mysterious characters, and threats to Antonia, while delving more deeply into the relationships between Antonia and her friend Joseph Fowler, as well as her exuberant friend Genevieve, who both help her with her investigation. Even the usually obnoxious Larry Lipper is entertaining. Joseph is especially endearing and supportive, and also serves as a father-figure for Antonia. This book is just as enjoyable as Carrie Doyle's first book, Death on Windmill Way, and I liked seeing Antonia come into her own as she finds herself more able to leave her troubled past behind, while making a big success of her Windmill Inn and Restaurant. There are several nail-biting moments in this story, especially toward the end, which came as a compete surprise to me. Death on Lily Pond Lane also has wonderful descriptions of East Hampton; the off-season versus the summer season, the homes, the shops, and even has the potential of Antonia finding a little romance. I would love to be a guest at the Windmill Inn, and I wish the book had recipes, because the dishes that Antonia comes up with in the book are original and mouthwatering. I highly recommend this book, which can either be read as a standalone, as background is provided from the first book, but you really would be missing out by not reading Murder on Windmill Way.