Murder Can Depress Your Dachshund - Selma Eichler

Murder Can Depress Your Dachshund
A Desiree Shapiro Mystery
Selma Eichler
Signet

Mystery/Cozy

On this particular afternoon, all Desiree Shapiro, Manhattan PI, wants is to browse Bloomies on the nice checks that arrived this morning. But fate, and Blossom Goody, have other plans. Blossom tells Desiree that her friend’s son was killed recently and the police have no leads. Oh, and that she promised the man that Desiree would call him that evening and drive to his home in upstate New York the following day. Since there’s no saying “no” to either fate or Blossom, Desiree bows to the inevitable.

Meeting Byron Mills is a sobering experience. The man is clearly shattered by the death of his son, Jordy. No one seems to know exactly what happened. What they do know is that Jordy went to the hospital to visit his older brother, Cornell, then disappeared. He was found, shot, in the trunk of his car the next morning. Jordy was supposed to donate a kidney to his ill brother that very day. Only days later, realizing his hope for a normal life was gone, Cornell swallowed a bunch of pills. Byron buried both his grown sons within three weeks.

At first, it seems that no one has anything bad to say about Jordy. Then Naomi, his widow, mentions that Jordy and Cornell had a falling out about something. But Cornell was confined to the hospital and would hardly be likely to kill the man who planned to save his life. The final straw for Desiree is Tootsie the dachshund, who doesn’t eat and just wanders around listlessly since Jordy’s death.

Desiree is not your average sleuth. She has an outlook on life that’s both realistic and compassionate, making her feel deeply for those who are victims of tragedy. Her outlook seems to allow her to pick up on clues and nuances that the more hard-boiled of her profession might miss. If you’re looking for a fun cozy mystery, spend a little time with Desiree Shapiro.

Rating: 7
February 2007
ISBN# 978-0-451-22060-8 (paperback)