Dry cleaner Mandy Dyer can't tell a lie without itching all over, which makes it difficult to keep secrets from homicide detective and one-time boyfriend Stan Foster. When the only clue to a murder victim's identity is the laundry mark on his shirt, Stan reluctantly seeks Mandy's help; with her expertise they determine the man is Jeremiah Atkins, an artist who went missing seven years ago. Despite Stan's plea to leave the investigation to him, it doesn't take long before Mandy is helping Jeremiah's wife, Rosalie, find out why he came back to townAand who killed him. The action is tame and Johnson (with the fourth in her Mandy Dyer series after A Dress to Die For) doesn't leave much to the reader's imagination, but the narrative is enlivened by a motley crew of characters: loud-mouthed former bag lady Betty; homeless Honest Abe, complete with stovepipe hat; chain-smoking waitress Maxine; amorous "bimbo" Suzie Q; and wise-cracking crime reporter Nat. After Mandy seeks the helpful ear of her co-worker Mack, she tells us, "Only trouble was that he voiced his opinion frequently instead of letting me arrive at my own conclusions." This may well echo a reader's complaint about this tightly plotted who-done-it.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Dolores Johnson writes with wit and panache. I love her sense of humor."
--Diane Mott Davidson

"A delightful series....What makes the Mandy Dyer amateur sleuth tales so much fun is that they are droll and irreverent as they take the reader on a cozy-like mystery tour of the Mile High City."
--Midwest Book Review

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5 Reviews

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3.6 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)

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3.0 out of 5 stars Not as good as the Others, Jan 25 2001

By	H. Male "southpaw32" (Seattle) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

First of all, Dolores Johnson has a good Mystery series going here with a very fun cast of characters, and if you're looking for a new series to read through, I don't think you can go wrong with these books. They are fun, well written with creative plots and very little profanity. I do recommend, though, that you start with "Taken to the Cleaners". I just didn't quite enjoy this one as much as the others and wished that some avenues (with likable chacters such as Honest Abe or the murder victim's sister) in the story were explored more.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Back on Track, Sep 26 2000

By A Customer

I had this book sitting on the shelf for a while before I picked it up yesterday to read. Her last book was one where I couldn't wait to finish it because I just wanted to be done with it, but this one was right back on track with the humor that attracted me to her books from the beginning. While I agree with one of the other reviewers that the relationship between Mandy and Stan seems to be going nowhere, it was explained in this book why he is so leery to become committed to her. I think with time, they will start getting more involved. Even without the romance, her books are enjoyable - how can they not be with the cast of characters - Betty, Mack, Honest Abe, Arthur, Nat, Spot...... I am very much looking forward to going home and picking up her next book.

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3.0 out of 5 stars Lacks warmth, Jul 18 2000

By	Mystery Maven (Tucson, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

While I very much enjoyed the first Mandy Dyer books, I don't seem to like the most recent books as well. I think there's a lot of potential for this series, if the author can just get the books back on the right track. For a "cozy" mystery, there's not much coziness/intimate knowledge of the protagonist/warmth.

Mandy wasn't much fun in WASH, FOLD AND DIE, and I was disappointed that she allowed herself to be discarded and then picked up at will by homicide detective Stan, her so-called boyfriend. Doesn't the woman have any pride at all? The man dumped her 9 months previously, and then pops up one day on official business and Mandy is all ready to start dating him again.

As far as the mystery goes, I liked it somewhat. I didn't get so involved in the story line that I was waiting breathlessly for all to be revealed. There were a couple times I felt Mandy behaved recklessly and illogically (after all, a killer is loose!). Doesn't the woman have any sense of self-preservation?

On the positive side, I felt as though I were back in Colorado; the descriptions of winter scenes and clothing requirements reminded me vividly why I no longer live there! And Mandy always provides us with helpful stain removal tips, such as how to remove grape juice stains from carpets and clothing.

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Most recent customer reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Good mystery, but lacks warmth
This is another good mystery in the Mandy Dyer series; interesting plot, believable characters, good development. The problem I have, though, is that Mandy is all business. Read more

Published on Mar 22 2000

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm hooked
WASH, FOLD AND DIE is another terrific book in the Mandy Dyer drycleaning mystery series. The funny first person voice is a delight to read, and the details of Mandy's drycleaning... Read more

Published on Jan 6 2000