"Not only is the murder 10 years old, the convicted killer is dead"

This is a great cozy, a quick read and very enjoyable!

Desiree Shapiro is a private investigator in New York City but she is not your stereotypical P.I. She is five- two and considers her best feature to be her glorious hennaed hair.

Teenager Vicky Pirrelli comes to Desiree's office to ask for her help. Her dad, Victor, was convicted of killing his mistress, Christina. Recently he told Vicky that he didn't do it. She wants Desiree to help clear her dad's name. The kicker is that the crime happened ten years ago and her dad died two weeks ago in prison. Vicky's only source of income is babysitting and working a few days a week at Frank 'n' Burgers, but Desiree agrees to help her anyway.

When she begins investigating, she quickly determines there are four suspects, including Vicky's own mother. Victor's lawyer Blossom Goody is still around and is able to give Desiree some information for her case. Tony, Victor's brother and now Vicky's stepfather, is tough to pin down. When Desiree does finally meet with him, he isn't much help. Desiree has her work cut out for her. Then some strange things happen that scare Desiree. Can she find Christina's murder and clear Victor's name without putting herself in more danger?

Her personal life isn't going real well either. Nick's nine year old son, Derek, is not too happy his dad is dating Desiree and lets her know it. Will Derek turn Nick off to her?

This series is always so much fun. I like Desiree because she is the kind of P.I. I'd want to hire if I had to. I feel like she would be on your side pulling for you. She is also very competent and gets to the bottom of things. New York is a great setting for a P.I. novel.

There's even a recipe at the back of the book! I highly recommend this book.

Reviewed by Dawn Dowdle
Posted February 24, 2004

Summary

No one can say that Desiree Shapiro, New York's chubbiest PI, isn't a soft touch. That's why when teenager Vicky Pirrelli wants to find out who really killed her father's mistress—a crime for which he went to jail—Desiree decides to ignore all the reasons she'd have to be crazy to take the case. The murder occurred a decade ago, on the eve of Vicky's sixth birthday, so it's almost certain the evidence will be tainted or even nonexistent. The truth won't help Victor Pirrelli, who died in prison two weeks earlier, and Desiree has been assured that she'll be adequately compensated for her services with Vicky's baby-sitting money. Still, Desiree agrees to look into things—and promptly comes up with four suspects, including her young client's own mother!

Meanwhile, Desiree's personal life isn't going so well. The man who could be her new love has a malicious nine-year-old son. And it's apparent that the little *#!!$%!# wouldn't mind doing to Desiree what someone did to Victor's mistress...

INCLUDES A TASTY NEW RECIPE FROM DESIREE SHAPIRO!