Freeze My Margarita (Hardcover)

Almost a half of the novel is not dealing with murder at all but detailing Sam's luscious view of the world of theatre. In a fetish bar, Sam meets an old friend from design school who is now working on designing the set for a production of Midsummer Night's Dream. Sally (a very gay Italian with a theek accent) convinces her that her mobiles would be great as the forest and look like chandeliers for the indoor scenes.

Sam goes to work making her mobiles at the theatre and is introduced to the cast and crew. Melanie Marsh (MM) is the director and she is talented, focused and never raises her voice. She will direct a smashing play that gets rave reviews and makes the career of many of the actors. Hugo is Oberon and when we first meet him we are sure he is a hunk, but gay. It turns out he is not, but playing the part to annoy another member of the cast who he dislikes and who dislikes him. He has been chatting up Sam and she is attracted to his wry humor, quick wit and 6 pack abs. When he drops his towel in front of her and stands there naked, she understands he is not gay and their relationship begins. Hugo is so much the type Sam loves, she is starting to get mushy about him and feels jealousy! Sam jealous?!

The wit is wonderful as this brief excerpt will attest: there is a heavy conversation and then a pause after something weighty is said. "'God,' Hugo drawled at last, I've always avoided doing Pinter and now I know why.'" You have to know about the Pinter pauses to get this, and if you do, it is great fun.

I suspect that like me, once you start this series it will be hard to stop.

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As always, the personalities shine more than the mystery, which takes a definite back seat to such characters as stage diva Violet, and Sam's newest lust interest, the flamboyant 'is-he-or-isn't-he' Hugo. (Answer: he isn't, as Sam finds out, much to her pleasure). As I did with "Black Rubber Dress," I wished the mystery itself was more developed and less of a casual background to develop characters. Perhaps taking Sam out of her familiar London and into the art scene of New York will add a few twists in her third mystery, "The Strawberry Tattoo," coming this fall.

For those who think British mysteries must be either hardboiled police procedurals set in Manchester or 'Oh dear, the vicar's been murdered in the drawing room during tea time,' try this series: definitely unorthodox, reflecting the young urban London of today, with a great heroine, sharply drawn supporting cast, and sprightly realistic dialogue. Like Sam itself, this mystery is vibrant, flirtatious, witty, and above all, fun.

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