Hide and Sneak: A Savannah Reid Mystery

In McKevett’s enjoyable 23rd Savannah Reid mystery (after 2017’s Every Body on Deck), Savannah, the proprietor of the Midnight Magnolia Detective Agency, answers a distress call from actor Ethan Malloy, one of Hollywood’s hottest hunks. Ethan tells Savannah that his wife, Beth, stormed out of their Malibu house after the couple had an argument the day before, accompanied by their toddler son and the boy’s nanny, Pilar Padilla. Ethan admits Beth has temporarily left him before in such circumstances, but she always kept in touch. That he hasn’t heard from her in more than 24 hours has him worried. When Pilar is found brutally murdered, Savannah’s hubby, San Carmelita, Calif., Det. Sgt. Dirk Coulter, joins the case. In addition to Ethan, the large suspect pool includes Ethan’s agent, who has secretly signed Beth as a client, and has more than a business interest in her to boot. Meanwhile, Savannah must cope with fraught family matters related to sister-in-law Tammy. As this inventive entry demonstrates, McKevett knows how to keep a long-running cozy series fresh. [em]Agent: Richard Curtis, Richard Curtis Associates. (May) [/em]