Joanne Pence Red Hot Murder

Red Hot Murder

Joanne Pence

Avon, Feb 2006, $6.99, 368 pp.

ISBN: 0060758058

After Paavo Smith's dad died and his mother abandoned him, Aulis Kokkonen raised the preadolescent child and took him on three memorable occasions to visit Dr. Loomis Griggs at his Jackpot, Arizona ranch. Recently Loomis told Aulis about the suspicious death of a septuagenarian. In turn Aulis mentioned it to Paavo, now a San Francisco Homicide Detective. Paavo decides to investigate because he knows the doctor is not one to imagine things. The cop asks his fianc e chef Angie Amalfie if she wants to accompany him to Jackpot. Knowing very little about the childhood of her taciturn fianc , Angie leaps at the chance to spend time in a place he still treasures.

Angie realizes right away several things about Jackpot, population 912. First she does not quite fit in; second Dr, Griggs is like a terrific grandfather truly welcoming her and Paavo with love; and finally she wants to hold her wedding here though she knows her upper crust mom will have cardiac arrest several times a day when she comes for the nuptials. That aside, Paavo believes the death of Hal Edwards is suspicious enough for him to make inquiries. However, he has more to be concerned with than a homicide as he thinks someone wants Doc dead and as always Angie joins the murderous mix that could prove COOKING MOST DEADLY as she tries to the CATCH A COOK.

The thirteenth cooking with murder is a fine investigative tale that will elate long term fans more than newcomers due to welcome insights into the "private" childhood of reticent Paavo. The audience will enjoy the "vacation" to the isolated Arizona ranch more for the time with Doc then trying to solve the well written murder mystery. Angie (and us) learns more about Paavo's past inside a fine investigation.

Harriet Klausner