Jessica Conant-Part & Susan Conant Steamed

Steamed

Jessica Conant-Part & Susan Conant

Berkley, March 2006, $22.95, 304 pp.

ISBN 0425208052

To receive her inheritance, Chloe Cantor must receive a graduate degree, and she chooses sociology as her major. Her passions are excellent food and Mr. Right, and even though she knows her downstairs neighbor Noah doesn't want a steady relationship, she is hurt when she sees a beautiful blonde leaving his apartment early one morning. She registers with an internet dating service as Gourmet Girl and meets DinnerDude.

He tells her he is thinking of investing in a new restaurant in town, Essence, and invites her to be his date that evening. She agrees to meet him there as they exchange real names. His is Eric and he throws his weight around at the place as he knows all the staff, but when he disappears after getting a phone call, Chloe finds him dead in the men's room. At the funeral reception she meets Josh the head chef of The Magellan restaurant. It is lust at first sight, but before they exchange addresses and phone numbers he tells her he is a suspect in Eric's death because the knife was his and he has no real alibi. As Chloe spends more time with Josh, she is convinced he is no murderer and may be her "Mr. Right" so she sets out to clear his name, ignoring the warnings of the detective and Josh's desire to keep her safe.

Famous writer of mysteries involving cats and dogs, Susan Conant teams up with her daughter to write a refreshingly charming chick-lit mystery. The heroine has a strength of character that allows her to do what she thinks is right, and the support cast, made of her friends, care deeply for her, just as readers will, because she leaves herself open to get hurt. There's no doubt about it, this is the start of a great new series.