Killer Body
Bonnie Hearn Hill
Mira, Feb 2004, $23.95, 352 pp.
ISBN: 0778320162

At the funeral of her cousin, Lisa Tilton, her Aunt Carey says that Killer Body murdered her healthy daughter. Aunt Carey pleads with her niece Valley Voice reporter Rikki Fitzpatrick to investigate the death and the company. Though she would prefer to say no, Rikki would do anything for her beloved aunt who raised her. Rikki arranges with her editor to make inquiries and write a story about Killer Body without revealing the personal aspects.

At the Killer Body Clinic, Rikki meets the three contestants competing to replace the missing spokesperson Julie Larimore. Over the hill actress Rochelle McArthur, divorced Princess Gabrielle Paquette, and overweight Tania Camp each has a reason to obtain the job. As Rikki keeps digging, she finds herself attracted to marketing director Lucas Morrison, but though he reciprocates he remains suspicious of her motives. Soon Rikki's findings lead to danger with only Lucas to keep her safe if she only trusts him.

Though the suspense takes a long time to really kick in, readers will enjoy this terse romantic thriller. The cast is solid, not just the lead couple. Fans will easily delineate between the three rivals for the modeling job and understand what makes the elderly Killer Body owner Bobby W tick. Still the tale belongs to Rikki and Lucas, whose love may not prove strong enough to keep her alive.

Harriet Klausner