One Death at a Time
-
-
4.1 • 10 Ratings
-
-
- $10.99
Publisher Description
“Abbi Waxman is both irreverent and thoughtful.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Giffin
A cranky former actress teams up with her Gen Z sobriety sponsor to solve the murder that threatens to send her back to prison in this dazzling new mystery novel from the USA Today bestselling author of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.
When Julia Mann, a bad-tempered ex-actress and professional thorn in the side of authority, runs into Natasha Mason at an AA meeting, it’s anything but a meet-cute. Julia just found a dead body in her swimming pool, and the cops say she did it (she already went to jail for murder once, so now they think she’s making a habit of it). Mason is eager to clear Julia’s name and help keep her sober, but all Julia wants is for Mason to leave her alone.
As their investigation ranges from the Hollywood Hills to the world of burlesque to the country clubs of Palm Springs, this unconventional team realizes their shared love of sarcasm and poor life choices are proving to be a powerful combination. Will secrets from their past trip them up, or will their team of showgirls, cat burglars, and Hollywood agents help them stay one step ahead? Are dead piranhas, false noses, and a giant martini glass important clues or simply your typical day in Los Angeles? And will they manage to solve the crime before they kill each other, or worse, fall off the wagon? Trying to keep it simple and take it easy is one thing—trying to find a murderer before they kill again is a whole other program.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Waxman (Christa Comes Out of Her Shell) delivers a caffeinated Hollywood whodunit full of fast-talking characters. Disgraced movie star Julia Mann wakes up after a night of heavy drinking to find Tony Eckenridge, head of Repercussion Studios, dead in her swimming pool. The police suspect Julia had a hand in his demise—particularly since she'd previously been arrested for the suspicious death of her husband—but Julia has no memory of the incident. Under duress, she attends an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, where she meets 25-year-old delivery driver Natasha Mason, who volunteers to be Julia's sponsor and moves into a spare room in Julia's mansion. The two soon recognize their shared traits: straight talk, impulsiveness, and a terrier-like devotion to problem solving. They team up to find Tony's murderer, exploiting Julia's acting skills to go undercover in various Los Angeles subcultures. Racing from a Hollywood funeral to a dingy burlesque venue and then a Palm Springs country club, they barrel toward the truth. Waxman stuffs the narrative with colorful side characters and witty repartee, sometimes to the detriment of its pacing. Still, movie buffs and fans of comical mysteries will enjoy themselves.
