It's really the cover that drew my attention to this book. It looked like a fun read and it was! This is third novel featuring Sophie Katz as the mystery novelist who keeps finding real-life danger and P.I. Anatoly Darinsky who is just trying to keep her out of trouble. The first was Sex, Murder and a Double Latte, followed by Passion, Betrayal and Double Highlights. I haven't read either of the first two and this novel can be read as a stand-alone.
Sophie's friend and mentor suspects her husband of cheating on her so she asks Sophie to try to seduce her husband! What better way to determine if the man is stepping out on her? Next thing Sophie knows, her friend's husband is killed practically right in front of her and she feels it's her duty to take on the case. Besides, she doesn't want to get Anatoly involved as they are no longer seeing each other and she does have some experience...But things start to get more dangerous as Sophie investigates. She starts getting strange messages. She is forced to work together with her ex to try to solve the murder.
I certainly had never heard of "furries" before reading this book so I was enlightened. I was guessing right up until near the end. I had a hunch but I kept second-guessing myself. This is chick-lit and is not a "sweet" story. It is a contemporary, big-city, funny, and sometimes quite shocking story. With politics, sex and murder, it has all the juicy ingredients for a fun sleuth tale.
Back Blurb: Sophie Katz's relationship with the irresistible and occasionally intrusive P.I. Anatoly Darinsky is on the fritz when a friend recruits Sophie's investigation skills to decode her possibly two-timing husband's strange behavior. When Sophie shows up in a short, red cocktail dress and her friend's hubby winds up dead, the loveable would-be sleuth can't help but take on the job. Suddenly plunged into a crazy world of campaign mudslinging, dirt-digging and cover-ups, Sophie begins to uncover some pretty dirty secrets indeed...involving a conservative congressional hopeful's involvement in the Furry community, a group of people who dress up in mascot-sized stuffed animal costumes. Sex and politics, wouldn't you know? Way in over her head as usual, Sophie reluctantly-or not-so-reluctantly-enlists the help of her two-time sidekick and ex...Anatoly. Together they set out to determine who killed Eugene and why, and in the process can't resist falling for each other...again?
Published: 2007
February's Mini-Challenge ~ One Thing Leads to Another
- Obsession, Deceit and Really Dark Chocolate by Kyra Davis
