Die Buying: Military police(wo)man E.J. Ferris became a “mall cop” out of necessity, after a roadside IED injured her leg and forced her early retirement. Her new job hardly presents a challenge – until an unpopular real estate developer ends up naked and dead in the window of a ladies’ boutique on the same morning animal activists release dozens of reptiles – and one giant python – from the mall’s Herpetology Hut.
It’s murder … with a side of snake.
Short review: Highly Recommended. This is an engaging, entertaining page-turner with an intelligent protagonist, hairpin turns, a little roller derby and the most entertaining supporting character (I’m looking at you, ex-CIA grandpa!) I’ve seen in a very long time.
And more: Laura DiSilverio’s style is fast paced and humorous (as one would expect from the title and setting) without crossing over into camp. I stayed up WAY too late at the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ Conference reading this, and fully expect to pull an all-nighter when the sequel comes out next spring. Although closer to a cozy than hard-boiled, Die Buying actually falls somewhere in between. The plot isn’t “cutesy” and the characters are realistic and well-developed.
If you enjoy mysteries, Die Buying (Berkeley Books, 2011) should be on your list.
Available in paperback and Kindle versions via Amazon (or check your local book seller).