"Desiree is a doll—fat, fun, late to everything." Mysterious Women "Curl up in an easy chair for a rollicking visit with the most self-accepting queen-sized PI since Bertha Cool." Meritorious Mysteries "Each new book is the Häagen Dazs of the mystery world." Romantic Times "Desiree Shapiro is a work of art—Rubens by way of Bloomingdale’s." Katherine Hall Page

Murder Can Mess up Your Mascara
Selma Eichler

New York’s plus-size PI, Desiree Shapiro, discovers that her latest would-be client is harder to say no to than a second—make that a third—slice of Little Angie’s pizza. There have already been two attempts to kill charismatic pharmaceutical exec Gordon Curry, and he wants Desiree to prevent number three. Fearful of accepting the responsibility for someone’s life—or death— Desiree prefers to take cases after the body has been carted away. However, the charming Curry wins her over. He even supplies her with the name of the disgruntled ex- employee who, he is convinced, is the only one who could possibly want to do him in. But before Desiree has the chance to follow up, Curry is shot to death. What’s more, she learns that the ex-employee—her sole suspect—committed suicide two months earlier!

With a tough case like this on her hands, Desiree needs to get cracking… but not before she polishes off that pizza.

(Desiree Shapiro Mysteries)
Signet, February 2005
272 pages ISBN: 0451214307
Paperback
$6.50