The Dead and the Beautiful

In Crane’s fun third Nikki Harper mystery (after 2012’s Imitation of Death), the Beverly Hills real estate broker must clear her boyfriend’s sister of a murder charge. Alison Sahira, who’s in a messy divorce and custody battle, is staying with her former child star brother, widowed dentist Jeremy Fitzpatrick, and his children. Alison offers her 90210 Dog Walking service to the stars, including squeaky clean actress Diara Elliot, who as a teen was a household name years earlier for her role in a hit Disney show. When Diara’s cover-boy husband, Ryan Melton, is found strangled by a leash, Alison becomes the prime suspect. Alison’s troubled past and reluctance to be forthright about her activities doesn’t help her case. Aided at times by her movie idol mother, Victoria Bordeaux, and others, Nikki once again turns amateur sleuth. Nikki shows her usual crime-solving flare, though comics fans may question her taste in buying old Aquaman comics for Jeremy’s son. Agent: Evan Marshall, Evan Marshall Agency. (Sept.)