"Fabulous amateur sleuth"

She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and grew up to be one of the most sought after woman in main line Philadelphia society. Her parents squandered the family fortune, raided their daughters' trust funds and moved to a South American country to live the high life because Argentina doesn't have an extradition treaty with the United States. Nora Blackbird wants to preserve the family homestead so she takes the job as the assistant to the society editor covering social events of the rich and famous.

When Nora attends the hunt club breakfast, her sister Emma is nowhere to be found even though she was supposed to be riding. After covering the story she looks for Emma but other guests find her in a barn stall, unconscious from too much drink and the murdered body of Rush Strawcutter next to her. Her whip is covered in blood and the police believe she is the perpetrator but Nora knows better and once again goes into sleuth mode to flush the guilty party out of hiding.

SOME LIKE IT LETHAL is a fabulous amateur sleuth mystery. The heroine is fearful about becoming involved with Michael because he was born and raised in a Mafia family and she is afraid to trust that he is totally innocent of any crimes, allowing her to seem vulnerable to readers beneath her tough exterior. Nancy Martin has written a real puzzler because the victim was so laid back and gentle that nobody, including Nora, believes he had an enemy in the world. Take a walk on the wild side with this rowdy and witty who-done-it.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted March 10, 2004

Summary

Just when I thought my life couldn't get any more chaotic, I'm proved wrong. My new dog, Spike, is a tiny terror. My demented sister, Libby, is dealing with the effects of recent childbirth by trying to locate the "goddess within" (whatever that is)—and my tough- guy boyfriend is gallivanting through Scotland on a fishing trip (or is he?). Oh, and one of Philadelphia's rich and infamous was just found brutally murdered. With all this going on, who has time to write for the society pages?

When Rush Strawcutter, the husband of a wealthy dog food heiress, is found bludgeoned to death in a horse stall at an exclusive hunt club, Nora Blackbird is as surprised as anyone. Her surprise turns to shock when her sister, Emma, is discovered nearby, unconscious and badly bruised. Worse still, the evidence points toward a devious blackmail scheme—with Emma as the main suspect. Investigating with the help of friend and foe alike, Nora inadvertently uncovers the scandalous secrets of some of Philadelphia's high-and-mightiest—and attracts the unwanted attentions of the real killer...