Janice Kaplan, Looks to Die For

Looks to Die For

Janice Kaplan

Touchstone, Feb 2007, $24.00

ISBN: 1416532110

Plastic-surgeon Dr. Dan Fields makes his money insuring the Hollywood super-crowd look beautiful or handsome; however, the "Saint of Hollywood" also provides his skills to the less fortunate as he helps those scarred and maimed who could not afford a talent like him. Thus it a stunner when LAPD arrests Dan for the homicide of starlet Tasha Barlow.

Dan's devoted wife, interior decorator Lacy, refuses to believe her spouse would strangle anyone. After consulting with his lawyer Chauncey Howell, who believes his client committed murder and knowing the police and thus ergo the prosecution do too, Lacy decides to investigate Tasha in order to learn who had a motive. Her best friend, casting director Molly Archer, joins her as they seek the dirt on the dead Tasha, not expecting to be choked, handcuffed, and roughed up by the live men in the late starlet's life.

The investigation takes a back seat to the heroine as she manages to get into one problem after another (not all involving her inquiries) while ruining her Prada shoes and her designer label clothing. Lacy is the star as her amateur sleuth bumbling is sincere but amusingly pathetic as she seeks who would have the motive and opportunity, but finds several nasty males who fit the description. LOOKS TO DIE FOR is a lighthearted Hollywood fluffy whodunit.

Harriet Klausner