The Man in the Microwave Oven

In Cox’s madcap second mystery featuring British expat Theophania Bogart (after 2015’s The Man on the Washing Machine), cutthroat attorney Katrina Dermody hints that she’s aware Theo is living in San Francisco under an assumed name. Theo fears Katrina will divulge her secrets in retaliation for opposing Katrina’s client’s construction of a high-rise condo in their Fabian Gardens neighborhood. Before Theo can determine what Katrina knows about her scandalous past, however, someone murders the attorney. To further complicate matters, aging priest Sergei Wolf visits Theo’s store, Aromas, with an urgent message for her grandfather, Clement Pryce-Fitton. Theo relays the information to Clement, who reveals that he’s former British intelligence and advises Theo to be on alert, as Sergei’s communiqué was a coded distress signal. Cox cleverly entwines the two seemingly unrelated story lines, upping the tale’s stakes and body count. Endearingly eccentric characters and a vividly sketched setting help distract from the contrived setup and dubious denouement. Fans of Donna Andrews will appreciate Cox’s zany style. Agent: Susanna Einstein, Einstein Literary Management. (Nov.)