Book Review: A Dose of Murder

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

A Dose of Murder     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Lori Avocato
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Woman Main Character   Humorous   Private Investigator   Medical
Series: Pauline Sokol # 1
Avon, Oct 2004, $6.99, 320 pp.

While she is trying to get a sick boy’s mouth open, Pauline Sokol concludes she just does not want to remain a nurse any longer. After twelve years she is burned out. Her gay roommate Miles gets her a job at an insurance agency as a fraud claims investigator. Her first case is to prove that Tina Macaluso, receiving injury compensation, never injured her back on the job.

Pauline knows zilch about how to conduct an investigation; sexy Jagger offers to teach her if she will assist him on a case he works involving a group of doctors committing Medicare fraud by filing false claims. He wants Pauline to apply for a job as a temporary nurse since Tina is on medical leave. Jagger’s source inside the office is murdered while Pauline stumbles across the corpse of the billings clerk leading her to wonder why she is doing the job she detests even undercover and could get killed doing it.

The heroine finds herself in several crazy situations that leave readers at times chuckling out loud and often concerned whether she can extricate herself from her perils without revealing her true purpose for being in the medical office. The quirky support cast adds humor to this wonderful debut mystery. Lori Avocato provides a solid who-done-it, chick lit style.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner

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