Book Review: Toasting Tina

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Toasting Tina     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Evan Marshall
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Cozy   Cats
Series: Jane Stuart # 5
Kensington, Oct 2003, $32.00, 218 pp.

The new publisher and editor of Corsair Books has notified literary agent Jane Stuart that she intends to cancel the house’s contract with her client Nathaniel Barre. When Jane insists on a face-to-face meeting with Tina Vale to discuss the contract, Nate insists on being there. To the shock of the agent and the writer they learn that Tina has never even read the book but is paying Jane back for marrying the man she loved.

When Tina does not show up at the awards dinner where she is being honored, the president of Romance Authors together (RAT) goes to her room and finds her body in the bathtub. She left a suicide note but neither Jane nor the police think the death is anything but murder since the key to her room is missing. After solving several homicides Jane is not happy to be a suspect in a murder investigation so she sets out to clear her reputation and very nearly winds up as a second homicide victim.

Even Marshal has written a breezy and entertaining first class cozy that contains a host of suspects who hated the victims and had the motive, means and opportunity to commit the crime. The heroine is a spunky and determined person who is determined to find the killer and she has the intelligence and the moxie to do it. TOASTING TINA is a must read for anyone who loves a good mystery Agatha Christie style.

Harriet Klausner

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