Murder in a Hot Flash

Marlys Millhiser

9/5/2004

Charlie Green has taken a short leave from her literary agent position in Hollywood to Moab, Utah. Her exasperating mother is the expert advisor on a documentary being shot about the desert rodents. But Edwina has been arguing with her director and the director of the big budget alien horror film also shooting in the area. Edwina had claimed Charlie as her agent on the standard form, then felt she needed an agent to protect her opinions.

Charlie tries to explain to her mother that expert advisors don't normally have an agent and don't have a lot of pull in a film, even if they are hired to advise. While dealing with her mother, Charlie meets the other members of the film's team. The narrator is one of Hollywood's recent movie hunks, Mitch Hilston. Charlie does her best not to be tongue tied around him. The feature film director is Gordon Cabot, king of schlock - and an annoyance to everyone on both film sets.

When Cabot is found with his head cleaved by an axe, Edwina is the major suspect. He and Edwina had had a major arguement earlier in the day. To make it worse, the axe in his head belongs to her. Now Charlie has to clear her mother, worry about her teen age daughter back in Long Beach, and figure out what to do about the presence of Mitch Hilston in her life.

Charlie Green is one of those amateur sleuths whose life is full of comedic errors. While not as outrageous as Stephanie Plum, she could have been a model for Stephanie. There is a wonderful scene in this book where she steps backward off a cliff. While Mitch Hilston tries to save her, he falls over as well. How will Charlie ever explain causing the death of one of Hollywood's hottest stars?

The mystery is actually a good mystery - Cabot's murder is committed for a completely unexpected reason. It takes another murder and abandonment in the middle of the desert with a group of people, one of who is the murderer, to help bring the story together. The story isn't strong, but is pleasant. It is easy to identify with the angst of a single mom with a teen daughter. Have fun with Murder in a Hot Flash.

You can find more about this book at .

Murder at Moot Point
Death of an Office Witch
Murder in a Hot Flash
It's Murder Going Home
Nobody Dies in a Casino
Killer Commute
The Rampant Reaper