The Dead and the Beautiful (Nikki Harper Mystery)
Nikki Harper is alone in her belief that her boyfriend Jeremy’s sister, Alison, did not kill her dog-walking client Ryan. Although Nikki’s famous actress mother, Victoria, does not believe Alison is innocent, she uses her celebrity connections to help Nikki investigate Ryan’s famous wife and her tight group of friends, former child stars from a Disney show. Unfortunately, Nikki can’t find anything incriminating to indicate one of them might have killed Ryan. Alison’s criminal past and some holes in her story make things look worse, and Jeremy and Nikki fight about Alison’s possible guilt. Hollywood details and gossip add to the mystery, and memorable commentary on real-life stars and their lives (the author is the daughter of Lana Turner) gives the novel a salacious feel in the style of The Devil Wears Prada (2003). --Amy Alessio