Books
Full Bodied Murder

by Christine E. Blum
Kensington, November 2017, $7.99

During the dark, dismal days of winter (for many of us), what could be more inviting than a cozy mystery set in balmy Los Angeles? Well, how about a cozy set in Los Angeles—with wine! Just in time, Christine E. Blum serves up Full Bodied Murder, first in a new series featuring Annie “Halsey” Hall and the Rose Avenue Wine Club. Like many other novice sleuths in the cozy tradition, Halsey is a refugee from a failed romance, a high-stress job (designing computer apps), and the big city, in this case New York. Unlike so many of her fictional peers, though, Halsey exchanges her complicated big-city life for an equally complicated big-city life in LA. Halsey isn’t one for downsizing and simplifying; rather, she purchases a house with a pool and, accompanied by her Labrador puppy, sets up as a freelance web designer. No business owner retail nirvana for her! In fact, she can barely generate work product because she immediately befriends a group of local ladies who constitute the Rose Avenue Wine Club. And, boy, these folks are serious oenophiles! I lost count of the bottles of wine that the club members consume on a seemingly daily basis. Most mysterious of all, they never seem to suffer from hangovers. While Halsey contrives to escape morning-after headaches, she does incur an inordinate number of head injuries. That’s because she swiftly discovers the corpse of a neighbor who has been murdered with a knife. With her newfound group of wine lovers, she determines to identify the murderer. Certainly, there is no shortage of suspects in the neighborhood, where drug dealers and a suspicious couple engage in nefarious activities. Fortunately, Halsey hooks up with hunky dog trainer Jack, who also assists in the investigation. Finally, after sustaining the aforementioned concussions, she does identify the killer. Full Bodied Murder is a success story. Introducing a hilarious heroine who creates a vibrant new life for herself, replete with new romance, new job, and new neighborhood populated by quirky, enjoyable friends who know how to imbibe wine. Cheers to Christine E. Blum, who presents a witty new cozy series—and a fully-stocked glossary of wine, which is even better than the recipes that populate other mysteries. Decant this one, ASAP!

Lynne F. Maxwell
Teri Duerr
5871
Blum
November 2017
full-bodied-murder
7.99
Kensington