Murder Can Rain on Your Shower

Rating:
Summary: A guest keels over after a few bites of her salad
Review: Desiree Shapiro, a Manhattan PI who loves food, throws her niece Ellen a bridal shower with Allison Lynton, mother of the groom, at Silver Oaks Country Club. Unfortunately Bobbie Jean, Allison's sister-in-law, takes a few bites of her green salad and keels over.

Desiree believes this to be a homicide and begins investigating. She discovers many people didn't get along well with Bobbie Jean. Bobbie Jean had stolen many fiances and husbands over the years. The suspect list keeps growing and changing.

Allison's husband Wes, Bobbie Jean's brother, has a tough time accepting her death. This adds to the tension in the family.

A new love interest starts calling Desiree. This makes it quite difficult, at times, for her to concentrate on the investigation.

Unfortunately Chief Porchow has set his sights on one suspect, and Desiree has to speed up her investigation before they arrest an innocent woman. She also finds Chief Porchow is not very receptive to her help and information. But, narrowing down the suspect list is not an easy task.

Desiree is the type of PI I'd want to hire if I ever needed one. She is very down-to-earth and loves food. We get to know her strengths and weaknesses in this series. She is a three-dimensional character. She also has a great relationship with Ellen -- who is a character in her own right.

The society ladies that Desiree investigates are very realistic. It is easily believed that they could be hiding something and adds to the overall mystery.

At the end of this book is a tasty new recipe for Desiree's Wild Mushroom Croustades. Food is a big focus in this series.

This cozy is one of my favorite series. I highly recommend this book. When you read one book, you'll want to read the whole series.

Rating:
Summary: A guest keels over after a few bites of her salad
Review: Desiree Shapiro, a Manhattan PI who loves food, throws her niece Ellen a bridal shower with Allison Lynton, mother of the groom, at Silver Oaks Country Club. Unfortunately Bobbie Jean, Allison's sister-in-law, takes a few bites of her green salad and keels over.

Desiree believes this to be a homicide and begins investigating. She discovers many people didn't get along well with Bobbie Jean. Bobbie Jean had stolen many fiances and husbands over the years. The suspect list keeps growing and changing.

Allison's husband Wes, Bobbie Jean's brother, has a tough time accepting her death. This adds to the tension in the family.

A new love interest starts calling Desiree. This makes it quite difficult, at times, for her to concentrate on the investigation.

Unfortunately Chief Porchow has set his sights on one suspect, and Desiree has to speed up her investigation before they arrest an innocent woman. She also finds Chief Porchow is not very receptive to her help and information. But, narrowing down the suspect list is not an easy task.

Desiree is the type of PI I'd want to hire if I ever needed one. She is very down-to-earth and loves food. We get to know her strengths and weaknesses in this series. She is a three-dimensional character. She also has a great relationship with Ellen -- who is a character in her own right.

The society ladies that Desiree investigates are very realistic. It is easily believed that they could be hiding something and adds to the overall mystery.

At the end of this book is a tasty new recipe for Desiree's Wild Mushroom Croustades. Food is a big focus in this series.

This cozy is one of my favorite series. I highly recommend this book. When you read one book, you'll want to read the whole series.

Rating:
Summary: Best in the Series
Review: I always love Desiree, but this mystery outdid itself. There were a lot of interesting characters to pick from, all with nice juicy reasons [to end the life of] the...victim. I like the way Desiree goes about figuring things out, plus I love the recurring set of friends she has. Her humor is incomparable.

Rating:
Summary: Best in the Series
Review: I always love Desiree, but this mystery outdid itself. There were a lot of interesting characters to pick from, all with nice juicy reasons [to end the life of] the...victim. I like the way Desiree goes about figuring things out, plus I love the recurring set of friends she has. Her humor is incomparable.

Rating:
Summary: My love affair with Eichler
Review: Ok, so it isn't exactly a *love affair* but I adore Selma Eichler's books. I'm currently reading my way through all her books and with my busy schedule I only have time to read before bed each night. Thank you Ms. Eichler for giving me that *something to look forward to* each day.

Rating:
Summary: Desiree does it again!
Review: Or rather, Selma Eichler does it again. I'm a big fan of this series and Eichler's plus-sized private investigator, the always feisty yet lovable, Desiree Shapiro. Once again, the plot is well-constructed, this time involving a murder at the bridal shower of Desiree's niece, Ellen. The pacing is quick,the suspects numerous, the red herrings well-placed and the outcome satisfying. Another great entry in this series. Highly recomended for any mystery fan.

Rating:
Summary: Another Good Desiree Mystery
Review: Selma Eichler continues to write good mysteries involving this plus-size detective who is comfortable with herself and her love of food.

In this one, Desiree is helping her niece Ellen plan her wedding at a posh country club. When one of the guests keels over dead, Desiree is asked by Ellen's fiancee to look into the matter.

Despite the snobbery of the society ladies and bogus clues galore, Desiree manages to solve the crime.

If you like a cozy mystery with a little meat on its bones, be sure to check out this Desiree Shapiro mystery. You'll be sure to read the rest.

Rating:
Summary: exciting private investigator
Review: With her sister Margot still in Florida recovering from an ankle injury, private investigator Desiree Shapiro takes her niece Ellen to a surprise wedding shower at the Silver Oaks Country Club in Forsythe, Long Island. While everyone eats salad, the groom's Aunt Bobby Jean Morton keels over and dies. Everyone attending the event except Desiree and Ellen and perhaps the victim's sister-in-law apparently hated the trice married Bobby Jean.

The groom Mike Lynton, who might have been the only living person quite fond of his aunt, calls Desiree to hire her to investigate the death of his aunt. She refuses his offer of money though she could use the cash as the Manhattan sleuth considers him family and plans to make her own inquiries. Now if the plump Desiree can only be as confident with her attraction to smallish neighbor Nick Grainger as she is in trying to solve a homicide, life would remain still broke, but perfect.

The latest Desiree Shapiro tale is an exciting private investigator tale that is fun to read because of the delightful cast, especially the heroine. The who-done-it is cleverly designed so that the reader receives clues to narrow down the myriad of suspects who attended the luncheon and wanted Bobby Jean dead. However, Selma Eichler's novel belongs to everyone's favorite sappy sucker Ms. Shapiro and the supporting ensemble who make this lively widow so much fun to watch in action whether it is questioning a suspect or trying to pick up the neighbor in the supermarket.

Harriet Klausner