Book Review: Dead File

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Dead File     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Kelly Lange
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Woman Main Character
Series: Maxi Poole # 2
Mysterious Press, Jul 2003, $24.95, 314 pp.

In Los Angeles TV news reporter Maxi Poole and her cameraman Rodger Harbaugh cover the death of Gillian Rose, CEO of a successful dietary supplement company. Maxi has the code to enter Gillian’s office building and soon finds the corpse. Rodger films the deceased and the crime scene. However, there is not much to cover on the news when the authorities determine that Gillian died of natural causes.

Maxi has doubts as she knew the deceased and soon uncovers indisputable evidence that forces the now angry medical examiner into doing a new autopsy. The results affirm Maxi’s theory that someone killed Gillian. Unable to remain on the sidelines now that she has forced the police to investigate, Maxi conducts her own inquiries to include questioning Gillian's husband, his mistress and the victim’s business cronies.

Too many conveniences take away from a frenzy character that readers will like (though insist she drink decaf). The story line feels like a Jackie Collins lite, as fans will get a taste of fashionable LA through the eyes of a REPORTER. At the same time the audience will wonder how a major media journalist has the time to do leg work investigation, prepare her reports, and appear on TV without one of the Rose supplements to pool her energy. Still when Maxi lets her hair down especially in between her soft-boiled investigation, readers will enjoy Kelly Lange’s lowbrow mystery.

Harriet Klausner

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

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