THE OXYGEN MURDER

New York City has many problems. Trust a tourist to bump into the worst of them, a dead body in a relative’s home.

While her friends Rose and Frank are off sightseeing and her new hubby Matt Gennaro is attending a police conference, Bay State physicist Gloria Lamerino must return a pair of sunglasses to Matt’s niece. Lori, a documentary filmmaker, isn’t at her loft, but her camera operator Amber is, and won’t be leaving. Gloria, no stranger to crime (The Nitrogen Murder, 2005, etc.), promises not to snoop, but it’s so much more interesting than shopping and museum-hopping that she can’t resist. Did someone mean to kill Amber, or was Lori the real target? It’s hard to tell because the gals doubled as blackmailers. Gloria asks whether their filming proved evidence of ozone depletion via the use of banned CFCs bubbling out of Blake Manufacturing and Curry Industries. Of course, the Big Apple has problems beyond murder, blackmail and pollution, including misuses of the Postal Service. On the plus side are all the great restaurants in Little Italy, where Gloria, Matt, Rose and Frank can retreat to talk over the crimes.

As her author masters the light touch, Gloria becomes ever more appealing. Now it’s time for Minichino to upgrade her plotting, which has deep holes even Gloria can’t charm away.