Reviewed By Liz

ISBN 0-89296-537-1

Now I have read books about a lot of different things, but this is the first time I have read one about the seafood industry. At least I think it is. In Cold Smoked, a young woman is murdered at a seafood convention in Seattle. Our mystery solver in this book is Jane da Silva, a lounge singer at the hotel hosting the convention. Which is an interesting setup, but now for the odd part…

Jane da Silva is heir to a trust fund that she can only access by providing free investigative services to those who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford them. Frankly, I find this odd premise out of place in a modern mystery. Perhaps it is explained more fully and believably in the first book in the series. But in this book da Silva is a lounge singer, working as a detective, disguised as a fish reporter, who then pretends she is just a tourist. Seems fishy to me.

However, I do like books that teach me something new, and this one does tell you a bit about the fishing industry and the different factions within it. There are also multiple mysteries in this book (one of them quite funny) so those of you who like to untangle something a little more complicated will be pleased.

The odd thing about this book is that we really didn’t find out much about da Silva’s character except that she doesn’t want a committed relationship with her current boyfriend. While characters that go in for too much introspection drive me nuts, I do like a little more insight into them than is provided here. There wasn’t enough of a hook to encourage me to read any more of this series.

Did I guess it? Parts of it. Will I read more? Yes, but this series will be low on my list.

Mystery Book Reviews by Reviewed By Liz.com ©2006

0-8041-0594-4

A good vintage mystery always has a young heiress with multiple suitors, a sleuthing pair resisting falling in love, a maiden aunt, shady characters with mysterious backgrounds, and the threat of an old scandal coming to light. Peril Under the Palms has all the required elements and is set in Hawaii to boot.

While Beck’s writing style is more suited to modern readers than a mystery actually written in 1928, Beck manages to capture the style and manners of the time. On the upside, we have the clothes, parties, and leisure time fun of the idle rich in the 20’s and the adventurousness of the young with the whole world before them. On the down side we have class snobbery and racial inequality, which Beck demonstrates in subtle but interesting ways.

I cut my teeth on society sleuth mysteries like this one and this was like a trip down memory lane. If you are looking for a change from the modern mystery, this may be just the ticket.

Did I guess it? Mostly. This book is formulaic, but enjoyable nonetheless. Will I read more. Yes.

Mystery Book Reviews by Reviewed By Liz.com ©2006