Make a Killing: A Billie Levine Mystery

At the start of Giarratano’s lively third case (after Death in Profile) for Jewish New Jersey PI Billie Levine and her grandfather, William, things are looking up: with two new clients on their roster, they may be able to afford to repair the office roof. First is June Tran, whose brother, investigative journalist Alan, was killed while cycling. The Bergen County Detectives Bureau declares Alan’s death an accident, but June insists he was murdered, possibly as a result of a story he was researching. Then Billie gets a call from Katherine Von Holm, CEO of VHG, a company specializing in high-end travel gear. Katherine offers Billie a whopping fee to go undercover at her company and keep an eye on Katherine’s husband, Heath, whom she suspects of having an affair. Unfortunately, Billie’s investigative competitor, Jeremy Yang, is also working at VHG. The plot moves briskly and dangles a tantalizing assortment of red herrings, and Billie is a shrewd and appealing sleuth who strikes the right balance of skill and intuition. This series shows no sign of losing steam. Agent: Liza Fleissig, Liza Royce Agency. (June)