Nobody Dies in a Casino

Thirty-something Charlie Greene is a savvy Hollywood literary agent and a single mother who happens to be a bit psychic. She's also stunning enough to date actor/hunk Mitch Hilsten. But Charlie's real attraction is for trouble. In her fifth adventure (after It's Murder Going Home), Charlie hits the Vegas casinos for a working vacation with her boss, Richard Morse. During her first night on the Strip, she sees two security guards shove a man in front of an oncoming car, yet the police seem strangely uninterested in her testimony. Then the one officer who had listened to her turns up dead, and Charlie worries that she may be next. Meanwhile, her star client, screenwriter/director Evan Black, embroils her in an illegal visit to a high-security military installation (Area 51) and in a high-tech casino theft. Astrologer Bradone Mckinley, who once shared a lucky streak with Charlie, attempts to help, to disastrous effect. All of which leaves Charlie to dodge casino musclemen and government agents as bodies pile up around her. With so many plot lines, it's not surprising that the novel takes a while to get moving. Eccentric characters and wacky situations, however, as well as sharp descriptions of the tawdry luxury of Vegas, will keep readers entertained until the suspense kicks in. (May)