A Body to Die For-G.A. McKevett

A Body to Die For
G.A. McKevett
Kensington, Jan 2009, $22.00
ISBN 9780758215543

In San Carmelita, California, plus-sized Moonlight and Magnolia Detective Agency private investigator Savannah Reid and police detective Sergeant. Dirk Coulter team up to catch a peeping Tom at Clarissa's House of Pain and Gain. Soon after that success, insufferable diet queen Clarissa Jardin informs the police that her rascally husband Bill is missing.

Not long after that Bill is found dead with a bullet in his head; Dirk leads the official investigation. Bill’s mother believes her daughter-in-law killed her son. She hires Savannah expecting her to prove Clarissa was involved in Bill’s homicide. Savannah agrees with her client’s theory as the victim was cheating on his spouse and spending her hard earned money gambling. Cooperating, Savannah and Dirk uncover several other people with strong motives especially Clarissa's obese twin sister.

Filled with humor and terrific asides, the latest Reid whodunit is a fabulous investigative tale in what is consistently a strong entertaining series (see POISONED TARTS). The investigation is cleverly designed to keep readers guessing re the twin vs. someone else, but the fun comes from the teaming of Reid and Coulter as the heroine makes it clear you can have your cake and eat it too (in moderation and with not guilt or remorse).

Harriet Klausner