Fame and Fortune (A Claire Rollins Mystery Book 10), by J.A. Whiting

 

It goes without saying for those who know me that the two corgis pictured on the cover are what drew me to this book series initially. Main characters Claire, Nicole, and Robby are rattled when they receive a threatening note in a red envelop. It promises death and, sure enough, a murder victim is found in front of their business soon after. It was one of their customers who they are surprised to discover was a rich businessman, not just the accountant they assumed he was. Then there is another victim, a business partner of the first victim. The search for the murderer becomes a mission to save the third partner although, well, there is always that possibility that she is the killer. 

Using what I'll call her perceptive talents, Claire has sensed a smell surrounding the murder, so to speak. It appears and disappears quickly, however, offering nothing but frustration. Claire is fortunate enough to have some guidance on using her new-found skills, guidance that seems to focus on relaxing and letting her senses do their thing, and she also has hunches. Will her hunch about the killer pay off? Why does she keep going out for long walks when their is a killer on the loose? That was the thing that annoyed me about Claire and, to an extent, Nicole. Robby seems to play a minor role in this book of the series. I mean, Claire's detective boyfriend, Ian, even tells her to be cautious but she keeps going out alone or, phew, with her two corgis. 

But, how protective are corgis against someone with a gun? Read the book and find out. It's a relatively quick, light read that provides a fun diversion without requiring much thought on the readers part. In the process, however, you'll learn quite a bit about Boston's history and snippets about the foods of the various eras.