Naughty on Ice

Chance’s light-hearted third Discreet Retrieval Agency mystery (after 2017’s Gin and Panic) takes former socialite-turned-detective Lola Woodby and her partner, cook Berta Lundgren, to Maple Hill, Vt., in the winter of 1923. An anonymous client has invited them to a family celebration to retrieve a stolen ruby ring from Aunt Daphne, who’s likely to be drunk, and leave it in a bread box. What should have been a simple switcheroo turns sinister when the guest of honor, Judith Goddard, drops dead after sipping a cocktail. When Lola and Berta realize that the police view them as the prime suspects, they set out to discover who really poisoned Judith before they end up behind bars. Lola is a rather inept detective, and Berta is no help when her head is turned by two elderly local swains. Fortunately, Lola’s on-again-off-again sweetheart, Ralph Oliver, eventually shows up to help crack the case and heat up their romance. Cozy lovers who enjoy their mysteries with a healthy dose of Jazz Age hijinks will have fun. [em]Agent: Stephany Evans, FinePrint Literary Management. (Nov.) [/em]