Daphne Uviller, Hotel No Tell

Hotel No Tell

Daphne Uviller

Bantam, Apr 26 2011, $15.00

ISBN 9780385342704

NYC Special Investigations Commission agent Zephyr Zuckerman is assigned the investigation into a money laundering inquiry at the Greenwich Village Hotel as someone moved $100K off the hotel books. The thirtyish Junior Detective obtains a position at the concierge desk, but her inquiry makes no progress.

However, Zephyr finds the case spins in another direction when the guest of room 502 struggles for oxygen in what appears to have been an attempted murder though she cannot fathom the motive. Finally, the undercover detective wonders if money laundering is not what occurred at the Greenwich Hotel, but instead an egg donor con.

This jocular satirical police procedural is an enjoyable what did they do comic crime caper as the Z to the second power investigates a felon that keeps changing as to what it is. The amazing Ms. Z keeps the wild story line somewhat focused as she takes readers on a shtick tour of the Big Apple. Fans who relish plenty of humor (slapstick included) in their mysteries will want to read SI undercover operative Zephyr's zany tale (see Super in the City).

Harriet Klausner