Deadly Blessings By Julie Hyzy

In Chicago Alexandrine "Alex" St. James has a story that can make her TV journalist career revolving around a twenty-two year old Polish immigrant Milla Voight impregnated by Father Carlos de los Santos. However, someone kills Milla while Carlos flees to his native Brazil.

To Alex's chagrin her boss at Midwest Focus Television newsmagazine Philip "Bass" Bassett takes her off the follow-up story replacing her with newcomer Fenton Foss, nephew of a management big cheese. She is assigned to investigate beauty salons that have failed its clients with poor perms. Since Milla worked Hair to Die For salon, Alex starts there figuring she can meet the assignment, but also investigate the homicide.

DEADLY BLESSINGS is a solid journalist investigative tale starring a delightful heroine who needs future appearances. Alex makes the tale work as she plays with the cards that her boss and her boyfriend provide to her in a game that the two men rig. The twists are shrewdly used to provide insight into the heroine as much as into the case except for an eye opening final spin in which professional ethics is discarded for career enhancement. Julie Hyzy provides a tense tale that showcases a darker side to Chicago and the church that comes across badly using the flock for personal gain.

Harriet Klausner