By By Dane Roberts Wans On
The twin private investigators are back in another humorous romp. Can our two PIs solve the case while managing to stay out of trouble?
This is the third saga in a series featuring female twin PI’s, Kerry and Terry McAfee. The earlier adventures centered in Beverly Hills and Malibu. Now these dynamos are handling a case in Venice.
Asked to be bodyguards at the Coming out of the Coffin parade, a celebration of the vampire in modern society, as a publicity stunt for the opening of a new Dark Arts Gallery on Fourth and Rose, they find themselves marching down Main Street in Venice guarding hearses. Their team consists of three Bruce’s, out of work actors, helping to clear the way for the parade. They reach the shop and open the rear doors of the head hearse to remove the coffin inside and are confronted with a dead body of what is reported to be Ephemera, the Queen of the Undead. There are two gaping puncture wounds on her neck. Which one of the vampire pretenders did her in? Was it really Ephemera in the coffin? If not, than who?
Lucian and Morgoth along with everyone in the Goth group is a suspect. We also have the rival vampire group headed by someone called Shatan.
Other minor characters play a part in the suspect list. There are the parents of the corpse who seem to be more concerned about recreational vehicles. There is the dentist who provides caps for the vampires’ teeth.
Once again we meet our recurring characters. There is Aunt Reba, the rich Beverly Hills widow who is always involving herself in the community. This time she is working out at a food kitchen for the homeless in Venice, There is Eli Weintraub, a lawyer, who is the former love interest of Reba. Also appearing is Detective John Boatwright, the sexy Beverly Hills officer who somehow always gets involved with the twins in their adventures. He also acts as a love interest for Kerry.
The background, Main Street in Venice, The Red Firehouse on Main, Santa Monica Pier, play a part in the story yet are kept in the background so as not to intrude upon the story line.
The mystery genre is a challenge. It concerns a puzzle that needs to be solved before the last period is put on the paper. Each murder mystery must have at least three basic character types: The victim, without whom you wouldn’t have a case, the sleuth, who is our protagonist, and the murderer, who plays the part of our antagonist. If it were a game we would look for the opening gambit, the middle game, and the end game. The plot twists are handled well. You will find yourself enjoying this book. I recommend this book for people who enjoy their mysteries with a bit of whimsy.
The use of vampires as characters works, as the solution to the case hinges on blood. I promise not to give the ending away.
Jennifer Colt is a screenwriter based in Santa Monica.
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Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 6, 2007. Read the original PDF.