Twice as Dead: An Odelia Grey Mystery

"Dead bodies find me like flies zeroing in on dog poop," remarks Odelia Grey at the outset of Jaffarian's raucous sixth cozy featuring the plus-size Southern California paralegal (after 2010's Corpse on the Cob) after she notices a woman's corpse on the floor of the cloakroom at the private club where she and her husband, Greg, are attending a wedding reception. The victim turns out to be Shirley Pearson, the wedding planner, soon revealed to be a man, Doug Pearson, who disappeared 14 years earlier after being involved in a Minnesota bank robbery. With the help of Greg, her irascible boss, and assorted other supporters, amateur sleuth Odelia follows the trail through Orange County, including a stop at a gay nightclub called Billie's Holiday for Shirley/Doug's memorial service. Distinctive characters help compensate for the rushed and untidy plot. (June)