Dolly Departed
By Deb Baker
Berkeley Prime Crime, $6.99
ISBN: 978-0-425-22051-1

A Scottsdale western parade is off to a rocky start for doll restoration artist Gretchen Birch when she's startled by a rude clown, must chase after her runaway teacup poodle, and discovers the body of dollhouse store owner Charlene "Charlie" Maize. Even creepier is that one of the miniature room boxes that Charlie designed contains a bloody axe that is left scattered across the floor of her store. As upset as she is by Charlie's sudden death by an allergic reaction, Gretchen would probably have left things alone had she not been specifically ordered away by the very interested (in Gretchen) detective Matt Albright. As handsome as he is though, Matt comes with a psychotic estranged wife, a busybody gossiping mother, and a paralyzing fear of dolls. So as much to annoy Matt as to discover who murdered her friend Gretchen and her Curves-workout crew investigate Charlie's life to uncover her drug addict son, an embezzling dollhouse builder, and a sister whom Charlie believed was murdered.

Riding the wave of crafty/collecting mysteries, Baker stands out with her entertaining and very funny doll-centered cozy. Quirky and likable characters serve as the center for this series, and readers will read just to spend time with them as much as they will to learn about the mystery. While the solution to the murder is handed to Gretchen (but not to reader, who may have already spotted the culprit) a little too easily, it's the path to the answer that makes this novel so much fun. In what other mystery do the characters debrief and plan their investigation while changing workout stations at Curve? This is a fun cozy that doesn't rely on gimmicks to make it unique.

Review by CINDY CHOW

©2008 Lorie Ham. All rights reserved.