SWIFT EDGE

The case of a missing figure skater ushers a private eye into a world whose skaters’ personalities are more fearsome than the investigation itself.

Charlie Swift, of Swift Investigations, once thought that having formerly silent partner Gigi Goldman assume an active role in the business was the most day-to-day drama she could take. Turns out that’s only because Charlie had never met Gigi’s daughter, Kendall. When Gigi forces Kendall on Charlie’s agency as a part-time staffer, it’s hard to know who’s most unhappy with the arrangement—except of course for Gigi, who thinks her dear daughter can do no wrong. While Kendall’s nosy and intrusive style is all Gigi, she’s also a surly teenager obsessed with Charlie’s latest investigation. Dara Peterson has retained Swift Investigations to find her skating partner, the famed Dimitri Fane. The last time Dmitri disappeared, he was taking an unannounced vacation with a boy toy, so Charlie thinks the case is going to be an easy ride around the rink. Unfortunately, the sleuth ends up with so many bumps and bruises that she needs a little rescuing of her own, and Detective Connor Montgomery is once again ready to catch her when she falls. As much as she wants to resist his charms, Charlie fears that she may be fighting a losing battle. Now if only the same isn’t true of her search for Dmitri. Charlie’s second doesn’t live up to the quirky charm of her series debut (Swift Justice, 2010) but still deserves better-than-average scores.