Wednesday, May 19, 2010

36. Death of a Trophy Wife by Laura Levine

Laura Levine's Jaine Austen cozy mystery series is probably one of the only cozy series I keep up on. I love it and look forward to reading the newest one every spring. Her latest did not disappoint and I give it an A-!

From Amazon:
Freelance writer Jaine Austen is moving on up! A cushy new advertising gig promises champagne wishes and caviar dreams, but Jaine soon discovers she's not the only one in town who's making a killing. . .
Without a job or a date in sight, Jaine is equally out of luck in finance and romance. So when her friend Lance offers to treat her to brunch at the Four Seasons, Jaine leaps at the chance like a fashionista at a pair of half-price Louboutins. They've barely made it through the menu when Lance spots his friend Bunny. Dressed like a million bucks--and probably worth twice that--Bunny is the new trophy wife of mattress maven Marvin Cooper.
When Bunny generously offers Jaine a gig writing Marv's new advertising campaign, Jaine accepts the job, and an invitation to her upcoming soirée. But at the party Bunny cruelly rules the Cooper mansion with a fist full of martinis, abusing terrified staff and her browbeaten husband alike. It seems like this society girl could use a good kick in the assets. Indeed, before the evening is over, someone poisons the D-cup diva. Dead must be the new black.
The police arrest Lance, but Jaine knows his murderous urges end at her closet door. She sets out to clear his name and discovers a list of suspects longer than Bunny's credit card bill. Did Mattress Marv get tired of his little bunny hopping into another man's bed, or did a jealous boy-toy fix her a fatal cocktail? Marv's ex-wife Ellen has plenty of motives for murder, as does Bunny's harassed maid Lupe. Or was it Bunny's seething stepdaughter who sent her to that Great Shopping Mall in the Sky?
Jaine is running out of time. Jobless, Lance is losing his mind and taking it out on Jaine's apartment, wardrobe, and indignant cat Prozac. And before Jaine can say 9021Oh-no someone else is murdered. Between a house guest that won't leave, a suitor-turned-stalker, and killer on the loose, Jaine's jackpot may turn out to be fool's gold.


The communication with her parents through email and the loving but hilarous friends Jaine has always leads to a good time. While the mysteries are usually difficult to solve by the clues left for the reader, I really read this story to disappear into Janie's relaxed life for awhile. I love her attitude and these books always puts a smile on my face. Check them out if you haven't!

2 comments:

Staci said...

I so must read this series!! thanks for introducing me to them!!!

Literary Feline said...

I really want to read this series. It sounds so good. I met the author one year at the book festival and she was so nice--very down to earth.