Tori Carrington, Sofie Metropolis

Tori Carrington, Sofie Metropolis - Greek-American Sofie "Sof" Metropolis has always been a well-behaved, respectful daughter. That is, until moments before her marriage ceremony when she sees her groom "schtupping" the maid of honor. Sof dumps the womanizing former fianc , keeps the presents, quits her waitress job at her family's restaurant, and joins Uncle Spyros' detective agency.

Sof expects glamour, but finds boredom and being on call 24/7 the norm. Her neighbor, the forgetful Mrs. Kapoor, demands Sof find her missing Muffy, an evil canine who the unlicensed sleuth (blame that on New York State's stupid law) believes should stay lost. Sof also must prove that Mr. Romanoff still lives instead of being spiked in the heart as one would do to kill a vampire. Then there is her paying client, Bud Suleski, who wants her to obtain evidence that his wife is cheating on him. While juggling her cases, the FBI seeks her and Jake Porter, who does not exist in any database. Jake keeps helping her out of trouble at timely moments as if he is her personal Aussie angel though she wants a lot more with the attractive hero.

This terrific, private investigative tale reads more like a chick lit amateur sleuth novel as Sofie is a rookie learning on the job. The storyline focuses on her lighthearted cases with a hint of romance between the heroine and Jake. Tori Carrington writes a fun, breezy, detective tale starring a likable protagonist who brings alive the mean streets of Queens, New York.

Forge Jun 2005, $21.95, 256 pp.

ISBN: 0765312409

Harriet Klausner