At the start of the lighthearted third Sofie Metropolis mystery (after 2006's Dirty Laundry
) from Carrington (the nom de plume for husband-and-wife Lori and Tony Karayianni), the forgetful, peculiar behavior of the Mets' newest pitching sensation, Reni Venezuela, alarms his wife, Gisela. Gisela hires Greek-American PI Sofie, a fellow native of Astoria, Queens, to get the goods on the star baseball player before the play-offs. But this is no simple cheating spouse case: Sofie observes that the normally ambidextrous Reni has pitched the last four games left-handed, and her assistant's research reveals that his last name is actually "Bastardo." In between the sleuthing, Sofie finds time for her effusive extended family and her romantic interest, Dino, the Greek immigrant sweet-shop owner who's tastier than his chocolate tortes. Smart, sassy Sofie knocks the ball out of Shea Stadium in this colorful concoction. (June)
