I have mixed feelings about this book and thus 3.5 stars.

The things that I liked was the protagonist Tracey who is very likeable and the dialogues that are funny and fun to read. She seems to be like a fun person around and she is super friendly with everyone. The story is engaging and the murder mystery is nicely unwrapped. You learn a lot about being a private investigator and how much effort it takes to uncover a murder. The variety of cuisines and food Tracey was eating is amazing. It made me envious and hungry so lucky her to be living in New York. Her gym/jogging routine is on the border of the obsession. Good for her.

The things that I did not like: The book is written in very short sentences and simple English that it is one of my biggest pet peeves. I cannot stand published novels that are written as if the author is writing in a foreign language or if the book is directed at children.

"When I got home I changed into my sweats and made a salad. I poured myself a glass of Merlot and sat down to eat. White I was eating I made a list of people...."

"The drive back was easy. No traffic. I was sitting in my office by 11.00. My phone rang."

"I was on the road by 10.30. My GPS took me on I-684 to Exit 7 and from there I followed the directions. The countryside was beautiful. [...] I Saw Jacqueline coming towards my car. She was dressed in what looked like riding pants and boots. Her blond hair was hidden under a cap."

"I was starved. I went into refrigerator and saw there wasn't much. I didn't want to go to sleep on an empty stomach so I cut up an apple and sliced some cheddar cheese. I grabbed some crackers and sat down to eat."

Short sentences might be meant to build the tension. However, the story is written in the first point of view so repetitiveness of “I” is overbearing. Mixing it up with longer sentences and broader vocabulary would have compensated for such choppy reading.

Also the detail is excruciating. Every single aspect of the day was described to a painful detail: even down to the minutes spent during sex, all conversations with waiters, receptionists, doormen and other random people. I did not mind some of the details because it made me feel like I was there and my conversation was being interrupted by a waiter to take my order, but other times I almost grinned by teeth.

Moreover the same information is being explained and retold to other people could have been skipped. Some information was completely irrelevant or unnecessary to the story (e.g. Tracey taking a pit stop (a bathroom break – too much information). Or Jack getting a parking spot in her building because some other tenant was away – not contributing to the story anything.

Also at the end of the book Tracey's actions were a bit contrived to fit the ending. She is agitating all suspects so they take an action, she even dreams about being attacked with a gun by one of them, she goes on a shooting range to practice and then... she puts her gun back into the safe of the office (huh??). What was the point of her practice and the whole chapter about it if she was not planning on carrying her gun for protection?

Another random shocking detail: Tracey is feeding a burger and fries to her 1 year old nephew (I cannot remember his age exactly but he has just learned his first word). French fries to a baby? We do live in two completely different cultures.

The only reason why I could put up with this story is that the plot was interesting, dialogues witty and because I thought that the author might have Asperger and that could explain the painful attention to detail, repetitiveness and the strange writing style. I am curious enough to read another book of Ellen Shapiro just to compare the writing styles.

p.s. the book is part of the series because there are references to the past events but it can be read as stand alone.

Oh this was really interesting and a really fun read. More on the darker ends at the end but it was super enjoyable at the end nonetheless and I had a lot of fun!

288 pages

3 and 1 / 2 stars

Some twenty-two years ago, Lisa Kane’s mother Rebecca was murdered. She was just a toddler at the time. She now contacts PI Tracey Marks to look into the case. Lisa believes that she is starting to recall the events more clearly.

There are several suspects including Rebecca’s husband (whom she was divorcing), her brother (she had a violent disagreement with him), her boyfriend and a friend and a business partner. How in the world is Tracey to wade through this cast of characters?

Fortunately, she has a very supportive circle of friends.

I thought the dialogues were done well. The writing is easy to follow and the plotting is simple and straightforward. Thus it is a relaxing, fun read. I liked Tracey and her boyfriend Jack. They seem to have a good relationship. Tracey is learning to be introspective and she wants to find out why she is afraid of commitment. I enjoyed reading this novel and look forward to reading more of Ms. Shapiro’s work. I would put this book more into the “cozy” category than pure mystery.

There are a couple of typos. Agatha Christie’s famous fictional detective is referenced...and it's “Hercule Poirot.” not “Perot.”

I want to thank NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for forwarding to me a copy of this delightful book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.

** This book is not yet available to review on GoodReads or BookBub.

While this book had some suspense, intrigue and a good who don't it , it was just ok for me?! Its worth reading but didn't have that edge of my seat nail biter feeling for me. Its a decent read, buy just ok for me! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!