"Delicious cerebral cozy culinary mystery"

Desire Shapiro is very comfortable living in her own skin despite society's narrow views of short, full figured women. She is a private detective who has had a remarkable record solving cases for her clients. However she knows she has plenty of competition in Manhattan so she's really surprised when John Lander and his wife Trudie insist she is the only private investigator they want.

The Landers hire Desiree to catch the person who killed Cousin Edward and tried to kill John. Wealthy Uncle Victor is dying and his heir was Edward followed by John. The Landers and Desiree think that the inheritance is the motive behind the homicide and attempted murder but the police think John killed Edward and Ken faked an attempt on his own life to divert suspicion. It is up to Desiree to prove the cops wrong.

Selma Eichler has once again written a delicious cerebral cozy culinary mystery that satisfies the mind and the stomach. The protagonist is an admirable woman who genuinely likes herself and doesn't need to conform to society's expectations of what a woman should look like. MURDER CAN COOL OFF YOUR AFFAIR has a fascinating story line that ends with a stunner.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted February 7, 2002