Choked Up

In Mack’s sprightly second Maisie McGrane mystery (after 2015’s Time’s Up), Maisie, who’s been working as a meter maid in Chicago, gets her wish to become a full-fledged police officer, only to be assigned to duty as an undercover agent posing as a meter maid. Target number one is a ring of automobile thieves, which Maisie manages to infiltrate, cozying up to its chieftain, Stannislav “The Bull” Renko. No ordinary car-grabbers, Renko and his gang specialize in high-end luxury cars and collectible models worth up to $1 million each. Renko, who’s seeking an attractive companion, decides that Maisie is perfect for the job. Meanwhile, Maisie has to hold her real boyfriend and her own large family of lawyers and cops at arm’s length. A wild whirl of plots and counterplots, the book offers occasional hot sex and equally occasional violence. Mouth-watering descriptions of lavish meals are a plus. Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency. (Jan.)