Making It Write

In Hechtman’s winning sequel to 2021’s Murder Ink, freelance writer Veronica Blackstone welcomes the steady work of helping wealthy Maeve Winslow, the wife of art sensation Michael Angel, write her tell-all autobiography. Maeve has a big secret to reveal, but just days after starting the job, Veronica is horrified to find Maeve’s lifeless body at the bottom of a steep stairway at her home in an exclusive Chicago suburb. Determined to finish writing Maeve’s story despite threats from Maeve’s charming yet ruthless husband, Maeve’s greedy stepdaughter, and a YouTube influencer who’s been profiting handsomely since discovering Michael and promoting his eye-catching paintings of an adorable Scottish terrier. Veronica could really use the help of her boyfriend, police officer Ben Monroe, in investigating what becomes a murder case, but he’s out of the picture now that his not-quite-ex-wife is back. If Veronica can’t discover who killed Maeve, the murderer might just have the last word. An appealing lead matches the intriguing plot. Mystery fans would do well to add Hechtman’s sleuthing wordsmith to their reading lists. Agent: Jessica Faust, Bookends Literary. (Aug.)