Death of a Gigolo

July 15, 2019
A ghostwriter's gig is threatened by her boss's loutish paramour. Days look sunny for LA freelancer Jaine Austen (Death of a Neighborhood Scrooge, 2018, etc.). Her slacker ex-husband, Dickie Elliott, has rebooted himself as a graphic artist/fitness freak with rock-solid abs and a hankering to rekindle their romance. And her best friend, upscale shoe salesman Lance Venable, has introduced her to socialite Daisy Kincaid, who wants to write a bestselling romance titled Fifty Shades of Turquoise with just a teeny-weeny bit of help from someone who has actually written something for publication. Any qualms Jaine might have about copyright infringement melt away when she sees the working conditions at La Belle Vie, Daisy's Bel Air mansion, which offers scrumptious lunches prepared daily by Chef Raymond, a freezer stocked with Dove Bars that she and office mate Kate can scarf down at will, and limitless help from Solange, Daisy's maid. Too good to last? Of course. Enter Tommy La Salle, the nephew of Daisy's late companion, Emma Shimmel, who worms his way into Daisy's affections and earns the hatred of everyone else. Soon shrimp scampi is off the menu, replaced by meatball subs and tater tots. (Jaine can barely choke down a dozen of the crunchy puffs while watching Tommy clean his nails with the platinum Swiss army knife Daisy buys him.) Raymond and Solange's wages are cut, and Kate and Jaine have to fend off Tommy's crude advances. Tommy's murder is no surprise, and Jaine's investigation is a classic cozy confrontation: The sharp-tongued writer quizzes each suspect until somebody finally bites back. This by-the-book cozy will delight fans who like a sharp comeback--and maybe a tater tot on the side.

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August 12, 2019
In Levine’s humorous 17th mystery featuring L.A. freelance writer Jaine Austen (after 2018’s Death of a Neighborhood Scrooge), Jaine leaps at the chance to write a cheesy romance novel for eccentric, 60-ish Bel Air heiress Daisy Kincaid. At Daisy’s mansion, Jaine gets to know a host of distinctive characters, including Daisy’s best friend, caftan-wearing socialite Esme Larkin; aging lothario tennis player Clayton Manning, who’s in love with Daisy; and chef Raymond, who has secrets to hide. Then hunky Tommy LaSalle, the long-lost nephew of Daisy’s companion who died decades ago in a hiking accident, shows up and starts to woo Daisy. The smitten Daisy decides to marry the much younger Tommy and changes her will to leave her fortune to him. The day before the wedding, Tommy is found stabbed to death across a tanning bed. Daisy is inconsolable, everyone else is relieved, and just about everybody is a suspect. Jaine’s subsequent sleuthing reveals a surprising culprit. Jaine’s cat, Prozac, offers witty commentary throughout. Cozy fans are in for a treat. Agent: Evan Marshall, Evan Marshall Agency.

September 1, 2019

Everything's going right for freelance writer Jaine Austen, for a change. She's dating her ex-husband, Dickie, although her cat, Prozac, and her neighbor hate him. She's hired as cowriter by 60-something heiress Daisy Kincaid, who wants to write a romance. After Daisy's picture appears in the newspaper, a young man, Tommy LaSalle, shows up, claiming to be the nephew of Daisy's old companion. Within a day, he has moved into the mansion and taken over everything in Daisy's life, from her meals to her finances. All of Daisy's employees and friends detest the man, so it isn't a surprise when he's murdered after Daisy announces their engagement. When a coworker tops the suspect list, Jaine turns amateur sleuth. Between dates with her health-conscious ex, outrageous emails from her retired parents in Florida, and attacks by Prozac, Jaine still has time to uncover secrets--and a killer. VERDICT There's a solid mystery buried in the over-the-top humor in this sequel to Death of a Neighborhood Scrooge. Fans of Mary Daheim and Tamar Myers will appreciate the comedy.--Lesa Holstine, Evansville Vanderburgh P.L., IN

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