Book Review: Dying to See You

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Dying to See You     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Margaret Chittenden
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Woman Main Character   Amateur Sleuth
Series: Charlie Plato # 5
Kensington, Jun 2000, $20.00, 320 pp.

Everything is quiet at Chaps, a country-western nightclub on the San Francisco peninsula. Former TV star and still sex god Zack Hunter, divorcee Charlie Plato, Angel Cervantes, and Savanna Bristow own the popular establishment. For a change there is no body in the flowerbed or Zack’s car, leaving the four partners concentrating on ways to increase profits such as renting Chaps for a night to various groups.

Savanna persuades her former high school classmates to hold their reunion at Chaps. On the night of the party, Charlie and cohorts meet revered teacher Reina Diaz, who many students feel saved their lives. During a break, Charlie goes to the ladies room where she finds a dead Reina, whose neck has been broken. Charlie begins to investigate the murder. Her actions place the four partners and their establishment at risk from a killer who prefers to remain anonymous.

The Charlie Plato mysteries are progressing at a nice rate, especially the growing attraction between Charlie and a celibate Zack. DYING TO SEE YOU is a great mystery as well as an insightful relationship drama that will widen marvelous Margaret Chittenden’s fan base to the latter sub-genre. The who-done-it is cleverly constructed and difficult to solve because the villain acts like one of the heroes. Readers will die from impatience waiting for the next tale of featuring this fearsome foursome.

Harriet Klausner

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