Shoulder Bags and Shootings-Dorothy Howell

Shoulder Bags and Shootings
Dorothy Howell
Kensington, Jul 1 2010, $22.00
ISBN: 9780758223784

Euphoric, Los Angeles-based fashionista Haley Randolph spent two weeks in Europe with her boyfriend Ty Cameron, owner of the Holt’s Department Store chain. She goes back home where Ty’s grandmother Ada lends her a Mercedes, which she will leave in her employee parking lot. When she opens the trunk, she finds the corpse of Tiffany Markham, whom she hated. The police followed by the FBI question Haley showing her a picture of Kirk Keegan who she does not recognize.

Haley is more interested in obtaining a Sinful handbag that is selling out. When Kirk visits her in a Starbucks, he angrily claims she ruined his life and hr intends to reciprocate beginning with her boyfriend. She realizes she did see him in the parking lot when she opened the trunk but he looks nothing like the picture law enforcement showed her. Sister-in-law Virginia is kidnapped while looking for her and her ex-boyfriend Doug accuses her of stalking him. .Other incidents occur that intrude on Haley getting her handbag so she decides to stalk her stalker.

The latest “bag lady” amateur sleuth (see Purses And Poison and Handbags And Homicides) is an enjoyable amateur sleuth mystery as Haley with her somewhat one icon baggy brain provides a wonderful first person investigation. Her motive is to get everyone off her back so she can purchase the Sinful bag. Although her whining can be numbing when overdone, with a crazy cast to accentuate the case, her clueless mind makes for a fun lighthearted mystery.

Harriet Klausner