When cheesemaster Max Dumas died, the staff of his cheese shop thought he would leave the secret to his bleu cheese to one of them. But none of them rWhen cheesemaster Max Dumas died, the staff of his cheese shop thought he would leave the secret to his bleu cheese to one of them. But none of them received the secret, nor did his long-estrange daughter. Willa, who used to work for Max, is glad to welcome her former colleagues to the Sonoma Valley for a cheese convention, but they seem to have brought murder with them, as they fight over clues to Max's secret. Then Willa starts to find clues--could Max have kept the secret for the one person who doesn't want it?...more
Another dazzling performance from Pandian! She's been building this mystery about the Raj famiy through two previous (individually satisfying) novels,Another dazzling performance from Pandian! She's been building this mystery about the Raj famiy through two previous (individually satisfying) novels, as Tempest Raj deals with the loss of her magic career, the death of her aunt on a stage in Scotland, the disappearance of her mother in her hometown in California, and the strange man who claims to be her guardian angel but who also seems willing to kill. Tempest's mentor visits as he prepares for his farewell tour, and the two find the murdered body of a sleazy man who is suing Tempest's father's business. His death is followed by more booby traps at the theater Tempest has rented for her own farewell performance. She is aided by her best friend, a librarian in training, her friend Sanjay, another magician, and a stone-mason/artist who may be in love with her. There's also that dratted guardian angel again. I really wondered whether Pandian had loaded herself up with too much backstory to be able to resolve, but she does with a fine flourish, leaving the door open nonetheless to continue the series....more
Quirky, aging detective Amos Parisman is hired by Benny Wolfe, once part of a famous comedy team, to prove that he didn't kill his former partner, AlbQuirky, aging detective Amos Parisman is hired by Benny Wolfe, once part of a famous comedy team, to prove that he didn't kill his former partner, Albert Pupik. Wolfe is frail and elderly, he can hardly drive anymore, and he's paranoid about the local cops. But more and more evidence comes out that seems to implicate him. As things pile up against him, Amos becomes more and more convinced of his innocence....more
Playwright Annie flees to California after the other two on her menage a trois dump her for a Hollywood acting contract. She meets a circle of wits, aPlaywright Annie flees to California after the other two on her menage a trois dump her for a Hollywood acting contract. She meets a circle of wits, all with secrets of their own, and insists they investigate when one of their members, a famed critic and gossip columnist, dies and the police call it suicide....more
Now a happy California lawyer, Sandy Moss reluctantly returns to her native New Jersey to attend her cousin Stephanie's wedding. But Stephanie--also kNow a happy California lawyer, Sandy Moss reluctantly returns to her native New Jersey to attend her cousin Stephanie's wedding. But Stephanie--also known as Skinny--appears at the rehearsal dinner, covered with blood, holding a knife, and leaving in the room behind her the slaughtered body of the best man. Naturally, Sandy's former boss (and lover), the county prosecutor, charges Skinny with murder, and she insists that Sandy act as her lawyer. Sandy's movie-star fiance stays in New York to act in a new play opening at the Public, while Sandy conducts a long-distance investigation from Los Angeles, despite Skinny's obstructive behavior and failure to explain what happened in that kitchen. As the strange events get stranger, Sandy finally realizes what really happened, and what she'll have to do to get Skinny out of trouble. Copperman's familiar mixture of suspense and comedy still satisfies....more
Touristy little Hideaway Grove seems to be a place where pink is for girls, blue is for boys. The many women entrepreneurs run bakeries, dress shops, Touristy little Hideaway Grove seems to be a place where pink is for girls, blue is for boys. The many women entrepreneurs run bakeries, dress shops, antique shoppes, and the few men we're introduced to are in law enforcement, own tire stores, are woodworkers. The women are rather hysterically worried about a big convention cancelling on short notice (have they never heard of contracts?) after an unpleasant woman is killed. Abbey (sewing studio, though she doesn't seem much of a devoted needlewoman) worries that her Aunt Sarah is the main suspect, as the victim was planning to start a competing bakery. Surprise--she finds the real killer, and barely escapes with her life....more
When L.A. commercial real estate maven Lana develops brain cancer, she's forced to move to the Carmel area (but not nearly so nice) to stay with her sWhen L.A. commercial real estate maven Lana develops brain cancer, she's forced to move to the Carmel area (but not nearly so nice) to stay with her semi-estranged daughter Beth and Beth's 15-year-old Jacqueline, always called Jack. Jack finds a body while on her job as a kayaking guide, and falls under suspicion by a misogynistic detective, so Lana, fighting the effects of chemotherapy, decides to clear her granddaughter's name. And--what do you know?--it turns out that there's some real estate at the heart of the death, or if not at the heart of the death, at least certainly around the periphery. Nurse Beth has been caring for a wealthy rancher, who dies at about the same time that Jack discovers the body, and Lana positions herself as a consultant to the rancher's daughter, who wants to develop the land that her brother wants to sell. As they investigate the crimes, the women work out their problems and misunderstandings....more
Two very different cousins--Yale, bookish and raised in America, and Celina, fashionable and raised in Hong Kong--combine to solve a murder when a ThaTwo very different cousins--Yale, bookish and raised in America, and Celina, fashionable and raised in Hong Kong--combine to solve a murder when a Thanksgiving banquet for the local organization of Asian restaurant owners ends with the organization president being electrocuted. It might have been just a faulty plug--the restaurant where the banquet was held needed renovation--but not everyone was a fan of the dead man. This is one of the books where Yale, the narrator, finds herself in danger although she hasn't really figured out the culprit....more
Chef Sally Solari is helping at a benefit for the homeless when one of the employees of the cafe holding the benefit is found dead. The cafe's co-owneChef Sally Solari is helping at a benefit for the homeless when one of the employees of the cafe holding the benefit is found dead. The cafe's co-owner, friend of Sally's friend, is the main suspect, and Sally reluctantly agrees to help find the real killer, much to the displeasure of her boyfriend Eric, an assistant district attorney. When a minor accident confines Eric to his home, he becomes more interested in helping Sally, who gradually wonders if the police have the right idea. ...more
One of Stewart Hoag's earliest cases developed when the once-successful novelist, now clean of his drug habit, is asked to ghostwrite a steamy novel fOne of Stewart Hoag's earliest cases developed when the once-successful novelist, now clean of his drug habit, is asked to ghostwrite a steamy novel for a pre-internet influencer, sex-kitten Nikki, who is murdered before he can start the job. Despite a plethora of suspects, there are red flags that identify the motive and culprit for the reader long before Hoagy catches on to the terrible truth. Despite all his usual banter and the presence of basset hound Lulu (and Hoagy's ex, beautiful actress Merilee Nash, the waste of talent and life make this a rather downbeat tale....more
The Ito family has been cleared to return to their former home in Los Angeles, after years at Manzanar and their dreary stay in Chicago. Aki is now AkThe Ito family has been cleared to return to their former home in Los Angeles, after years at Manzanar and their dreary stay in Chicago. Aki is now Aki Nakasone, and is waiting for her GI husband to return from Europe. She's disappointed when his best friend and best man at their wedding Babe Watanabe shows up instead--first of all, he isn't her Art, and second of all, she's afraid he means trouble. As she makes her way through the returning Japanese, the African-Americans who came to California to do war work, and the Jews, who are moving from East Los Angeles to West Los Angeles, where there's no enough decent housing for everyone and the Mob tries to make money any way they can, she uncovers secrets and realizes that she's jumped to too many conclusions about too many of the people she knows. Aki does a lot of growing up in the second episode of this series....more
Whitney doesn't mind working several part-time jobs to stay on Catalina Island, where she was raised and where her diver-boyfriend lives too. But her Whitney doesn't mind working several part-time jobs to stay on Catalina Island, where she was raised and where her diver-boyfriend lives too. But her grandmother Goldy keeps forcing her into uncomfortable situations, like attending the funeral of a reclusive old lady. When the dead woman's son appears after years off-island, Whit is shocked that her grandmother greets him as an old boyfriend, although he seems to be gay. He's made a movie about the island, but before the premiere Darren's new lover is found dead, and as about the only one who knows him, Darren becomes the leading suspect. Whit is tagged by Goldy as the person who will clear him, but Whit is not too sure that he's not guilty. ()Note to fans: Whiskers, Whit's cat, doesn't do much in this one.)...more
The plot, while thrilling, really should only rate three stars, but the writing literally kept me up till 3 a.m. so I could finish the book. And the bThe plot, while thrilling, really should only rate three stars, but the writing literally kept me up till 3 a.m. so I could finish the book. And the black cat, Samantha, belonging to Miss Rachel Murdock, really plays a small part until the final chapter. Miss Rachel has impulsively rented the deserted house for a month, sensing that something evil lurks in the quiet enclave of four houses whose inhabitants are related by blood, marriage, and hatred. And of course she is right, as she finds a corpse in the basement closet her first morning there. Dark forces seem to converge around a lonely little girl, and Miss Rachel wants to protect her. ...more
Poppu Harmon is surprised when Serena Saunders wants to hire her detective agency to do a background check on her new fiance. She and Serena had been Poppu Harmon is surprised when Serena Saunders wants to hire her detective agency to do a background check on her new fiance. She and Serena had been feuding divas back in the old Hollywood days, and Serena had burned all the bridges between them. Poppy and her crew find out that the fiancee, Ned, is even wealthier than Serena dreamed, but there are the rumors about his second wife's accidental death. Then Serene is found having shot an intruder into her house. But the wedding goes on, and the honeymoon hasn't even started when Ned dies of poison, leaving Serena the main suspect. Poppy is the only one who believes Serena is innocent, but can she prove it? And if she can prove it, what's the next twist in the story? Despite some clever plotting, I didn't care for the writing style....more
Freelance writer Jaine Austen accepts a job to ghostwrite a book of entertaining hints from a blonde bombshell who married a wealthy doctor, only to fFreelance writer Jaine Austen accepts a job to ghostwrite a book of entertaining hints from a blonde bombshell who married a wealthy doctor, only to find that her client is mean, judgmental, and stingy. What keeps her from quitting--aside from the salary, of course--is her sympathy with the woman's teenaged stepdaughter, the main target of her hateful barbs. So when the blonde is killed, and the police focus on the stepdaughter, Jaine must step in and help clear the innocent girl. Meanwhile, Jaine's eccentric retired parents keep her inbox filled with justifications for their own behavior when her father buys a toupee at a thrift store and insists on wearing it everywhere. Jaine also suffers from the Titanic of bad dates as she dips her toes back into the social whirl....more
Therapist Lexie Campbell is celebrating Thanksgiving with her friends at the Last Ditch motel when heavily pregnant Della starts labor. During the nigTherapist Lexie Campbell is celebrating Thanksgiving with her friends at the Last Ditch motel when heavily pregnant Della starts labor. During the night, the baby is born--but Lexie also finds out that the man in the next motel room has been killed. When she recognizes him as her college boyfriend, the police consider that she's a suspect, although a bad breakup two decades ago is hardly a viable motive. Lexie is sure that there's something wrong with the picture, even when one of his college chums, and a fellow member of BOLS arrives. Unfortunately, when she learns the truth about her breakup, it provides her with an even better motive. Fortunately, she has her madcap friends to help her discover the real murderer....more
Freelance writer Jaine Austen is hired to punch up the script of a play based on a cult favorite sit-com. Unfortunately, the script, written by the plFreelance writer Jaine Austen is hired to punch up the script of a play based on a cult favorite sit-com. Unfortunately, the script, written by the play's producer/director/star and backer, a geeky lottery winner, is terrible, but not as bad as the bimbo he has hired to play the female lead. As the bimbo antagonizes the rest of the cast, Jaine prepares for a date she's inadvertently bid on at a bachelor auction. When someone in the play's cast dies, Jaine tries to investigate to clear a young actor who's dating her best gay friend. E-mails from her parents keep her informed of their adventures in a Florida retirement community....more
Widow Vera Wong is a genius with tea, but her dreary little shop only has one customer a day, a sad old man taking care of his dying wife. When she fiWidow Vera Wong is a genius with tea, but her dreary little shop only has one customer a day, a sad old man taking care of his dying wife. When she finds the dead body of a man in her store one morning, she's convinced that it's murder and that it's her job to help the police. The police disagree on both these points, so clearly Vera must take over the investigation herself. She meets the dead man's wife (and young child), his twin brother, and two young people who were victimized by his machinations, all of whom come to the shop to see where Marshall died. Multiple perspectives, mostly Vera's, give different insights into the crime, and while the solution makes no-one happier, Vera now has a loving family, including her previously indifferent achiever son, and a brighter, renovated tea shop....more
Tempest Raj, the disgraced magician who is now working for her father's contracting company, is determined to find the secrets behind the death of herTempest Raj, the disgraced magician who is now working for her father's contracting company, is determined to find the secrets behind the death of her aunt and the disappearance of her mother. Butt first things first--the mock seance that was held in the renovated basement of local restaurateur Lavinia to cleanse the place of traces of her soon-to-be ex-husband calls up the husband himself, stabbed to death. And Tempest's beloved grandfather is the main suspect, partly because he had blood on him, and partly because there was bad blood between the men. Clearly, Tempest has to clear him, which she can only do by solving the crime, with the help of her magician friend Sanjay, her possible new love interest Gideon, her once-best-friend Ivy, and the stalker she refers to as "Moriarity."...more
Widowed young Englishwoman Emma finds herself assisting her sister-in-law actress Kitty in 1920's Hollywood, and also trying to write scenarios for thWidowed young Englishwoman Emma finds herself assisting her sister-in-law actress Kitty in 1920's Hollywood, and also trying to write scenarios for the silent films. Emma is falling in love with a studio cameraman who is the opposite of the handsome actors who throng around Kitty, and who readily assists her help clear a young extra who is the suspect in the murder o a famous and lecherous director. Various historic figures take their places, along with too many fictional stars to count, as Emma find herself dealing with bootlegger, the nascent Bureau of Investigation, communist infiltrators, and Mexican refugees. ...more
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