Fiona, who is Viv’s young apprentice, adds humor and color to the story with her fresh and untainted outlook on life. She has the stereotypical British reserve that is causing some friction between her and her half American cousin and is holding a secret close to her heart. Viv is actually becoming more of an enigma. She came onto the scene with a bruised psyche from a terrible and public break-up, but has begun to rally and is becoming more confident with her new life. Scarlett has evolved nicely in the three books of this series.

Ariana is suspect number one in the nasty attorney’s murder and the milliners are determined to prove her innocence at all costs. Their joy is dampened when the bride, Ariana Jackson, is found standing over the dead body of her boss. In this book, the pair are thrilled to be given the opportunity to restore a wedding hat for a blushing bride that their grandmother had originally designed. Viv, born and raised around the shop, is the creative power, and Scarlett, who spent her summer vacations with her grandmother and cousin, and has recently moved to London from Florida, is the people person of the operation. The series follows cousins Scarlett Parker and Vivian Tremont, who have teamed up to run their late grandmother’s hat shop, Mim’s Whims, in London.

At the Drop of the Hat is the third installment in Jenn McKinlay’s Hat Shop Mystery Series.

At the Drop of a Hat by Jenn McKinlay