Thrilled to Death
Jennifer Apodaca
Kensington, Feb 2006, $22.00
ISBN: 0758209886

Samantha Shaw, owner of Heart Mates dating service, and her boyfriend, former cop turned private investigator Gabe Pulizzi tear down the walls that separate their businesses, as he mentors her so that she can legally work his cases. However, her next investigation does not come from her teacher, but from her grandfather, Barney Webb, accused by acclaimed magician Shane Masters of hiring someone to kill him.

Shane was once a magician's apprentice learning the trade under Barney before becoming a traitor to his profession, exposing the master tricks of other magicians. He comes to Lake Elsinore to perform his latest "debunking," that of his former lover Nikki Eden. Attending his performance are many who loath him, and that includes Nikki and other students of Barney. All share in the belief that the world would be a better place if Shane was dead. One takes the wishes to heart, killing Shane. While family troubles explode for Sam and Gabe, Detective Logan Vance follows up on Shane's accusation that Barney arranged the homicide; Sam figures she better prove her grandfather did not commit the homicide; someone else she probably knows rather well possibly did the deed.

Sam has come a long way from NINJA SOCCER MOMS, and it shows in this tale as she still errs, but moves on with confidence in herself; she knows what she wants and she goes out to get it. Solving the case of the dead magician proves difficult, because the prime suspects, besides being friends, are expert sleight of the hand illusionists, so red herrings abound. This is a fantastic entry, as Sam hopes to soon practice under her license not that of her lover.