Murder Can Mess Up Your Mascara: A Desiree Shapiro Mystery by Selma Eichler

From Barnes & Noble

The Barnes & Noble Review
Selma Eichler's mystery is another queen-sized treat for fans of full-figured private eye Desiree Shapiro. Normally, Desiree only gets involved in cases after the crime has occured. So she's a bit taken aback when her lawyer friend Blossom Goody (who says she's doing Desiree a favor) strong-arms her into accepting a case involving Blossom's cousin Gordie. Seems Gordie wants Desiree to find someone who's already made two attempts on his life. Between Blossom's "favor" and Gordie's persuasive charm, Desiree just can't say no. But before Desiree has time to track down her client's prime suspect, Gordie permanently cashes in his chips en route home from his monthly poker game. Having hit such a literal dead end to her investigation, Desiree figures she'll never have the chance to close the case. But the dead man's family has other plans. Blossom tells her plus-sized friend to keep cousin Gordie's generous retainer and finish the job; so it's time for Desiree to wipe off her tear-streaked mascara and satisfy her appetite for justice. Sue Stone

From the Publisher

Certain that someone is trying to kill him, a dashing ladies' man and pharmaceutical exec turns to Desiree for help. But before she has a chance to question his enemies, he's shot to death. And now the plus-sized P.I. has to polish off a killer-and a slice (or three) of pizza.

Publishers Weekly

New York PI Desiree Shapiro, last seen in Murder Can Botch Up Your Birthday, doesn't like to accept cases until after the victim is dead. But when the charming Gordon Curry shows up in her office claiming that there have already been two attempts on his life and he wants her to prevent the third, she can't say no, especially since he supplies her with his predator's name. Two days later, Curry is shot down on a quiet Chelsea street after a poker game, and Desiree learns that the man who Curry thought wanted him dead committed suicide two months earlier. Distraught, the plus-sized detective almost loses her appetite, but not quite, especially when she learns there were a slew of sordid secrets about Curry's life that he neglected to mention to her. With the help of a few colorful New York characters, including a curmudgeonly policeman, Desiree puts together a list of suspects and interviews them all in grand Hercule Poirot fashion, sacrificing sleep and other life necessities to do so. A hasty, underdeveloped ending doesn't do justice to this otherwise tightly constructed cozy. But tantalizing meal descriptions, old-school New York charm and even a touch of romance make this book worth gobbling up. Agent, Stuart Krichevsky. (Feb.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

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