Flies in the Punch Bowl

In this entertaining story rich with witty humor and clever twists, an adventurous art lover battling a tarnished past races to solve a series of high-profile art thefts in the Pacific Northwest.

Seattle’s elite are reeling from a spree of unsolved art thefts, and Annabel Riley—an adventurous art aficionado eager to rebuild her career after a wily art forger derailed it—has just entered the scene.

After witnessing a suspicious chain of events at a resurrected prohibition speakeasy that seem linked to the thefts, Annabel sees an opportunity to restore her reputation, but only if she can identify the culprit. With promises of glory and absinthe martinis, she convinces close friends Evan Neruda, a struggling journalist with Latin charm, and Lyla Finch, a corporate worker bee with an irreverent streak, to help her investigate the thefts.

Humorous interactions abound as their paths collide with a zany ensemble of characters. But as the friends dig deeper into the crimes, the facts become murky, the list of suspects grows, and in a startling crescendo, Annabel finds herself face-to-face with the perils of pursuing the truth.

"A superior, engrossing story that is highly recommended for anyone looking for a rollicking good read." - Midwest Book Review

"Original and wildly entertaining... A brisk, energetic mystery reminiscent of a caper style adventure." - InD'Tale Magazine


"Simms tends to details with hypnotizing mystique... An intoxicating mix of escapade, sass, and olives." - Samuel Clare Knights, PEN Award-winning author