Saturday, August 10, 2013

Jump the Gun: An Annabelle Starkey Mystery-Zoe Burke

Jump the Gun: An Annabelle Starkey Mystery

Zoe Burke

Poisoned Pen, Aug 6 2013, $24.95

ISBN 9781464201639



Annabelle Starkey loves shoes, hats and old movies as she is Joan Cusack sidekick loser in Working Girl. At a book convention in Chicago, she meets film aficionado Mickey Paxton, who makes Annabelle feels she landed the lead female role in the Sea of Love. Mickey persuades Annabelle to stay with him at the Royal Opal Resort in Vegas.



In Vegas, his Richard Gere (Pretty Woman) acts more like Johnny Depp in Public Enemies. When he rushes down to the lobby, Goober the goon with a gun invades their room and grabs Annabelle. She escapes and is on the run with Paxton. When she learns someone murdered her friend Cassie while she was house and cat-sitting with Bonkers in Annabelle’s San Francisco home, she feels guilt.



Annabelle with her movie references makes for an appealing zany protagonist who changes from the sidekick to the lover to the damsel in distress in this enjoyable screwball comedy. Although the mystery never gels beyond madcap, readers will enjoy Annabelle’s “awful” awesome adventure.



Harriet Klausner

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