Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Died With A Bow-Grace Carroll

Died With A Bow


Grace Carroll

Berkley Prime Crime, Sep 4 2012, $7.99

ISBN: 9780425251560



In San Francisco, the one thing that makes Rita Jewell happy is going to her workplace at Dolce’s where she sells upscale attire and accessories to the Nob Hill socialites who possess an air of entitlement in spite of the recession. However, the boutique is not making the profit it did before the downturn so cocky fashionista Vienna Fairchild, the centerfold of elitist entitlement, is hired. The new salesperson works on commission while guaranteeing she will earn more money than Dolce and Rita combined.



Vienna’s family and friends swamp the store buying a sundry of items while Rita is exiled to the back to answer calls from mostly men asking for the newcomer. Dolce takes Rita and Vienna to a charity bachelor auction. Vienna gives Rira the ticket saying her boyfriend will kill her if she accepts the date. The next morning Rita finds Vienna’s corpse on the floor of Dolce’s wearing that same black evening dress. Knowing SFPD Detective Jack will once again suspect her as the killer (see Shoe Done It) since she had the means, the opportunity and the motive; Rita once again investigates.



The second Accessories Mystery is an entertaining amateur sleuth tale that mocks the compulsive obsessive buying behavior of the entitled fashionista who remain clueless re whether they are impacted by the recession. The heroine is a delightful individual who uses her knowledge of clothing to investigate. However, it is Vienna whose charisma especially her ability to sell (herself which leads to merchandise sales) to customers who makes the tale as she “Educates Rita” on the art of selling while her manner obviously angered someone. Cozy readers will enjoy this lighthearted cozy though suspecting Rita seems a sub-genre habit.



Harriet Klausner



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