Hollywood Ending: A Detective by Day Mystery

Agatha-winner Garrett’s delightful sequel to 2017’s Hollywood Homicide finds former L.A. actress Dayna “Day” Anderson, who was the spokesperson for Chubby’s Chicken until a photographer caught her eating something other than one of the fast-food franchise’s two-piece combo deals, struggling to launch her career as a private investigator. Day has had some modest success working with a PI who turns out to be unlicensed, but it’s not enough to pay her bills. A chance to really prove herself comes along when Hollywood publicist Lyla Davis is fatally shot at an ATM early one morning on La Brea Blvd. Day soon realizes that the apparent botched robbery was a set-up, and she and sidekick Sienna follow the clues to infamous celebrity gossip Anani Miss. The Lucy-and-Ethel-like antics of Day and Sienna provide plenty of laughs, but readers will also enjoy watching Day as she develops her sleuthing skills, including savvy social media tactics. Garrett, who wrote for TV’s Cold Case, brings a smart insider’s view of contemporary Hollywood to this lighthearted series. Agent: Michelle Richter, Fuse Literary. (Aug.)