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THE DEAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL by Cheryl Crane

THE DEAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL

by Cheryl Crane

Pub Date: Aug. 27th, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-7582-5890-8
Publisher: Kensington

A Hollywood insider turns investigator to keep her boyfriend’s sister out of jail.

Nikki Harper may be a Hollywood realtor rather than a movie star, but as the daughter of legendary Victoria Bordeaux, she’s in the crowd at any Tinseltown gathering. Plus, she’s got an irresistible smile that gets her whatever her famous name won’t. Nikki’s not one to abuse her power, but she’s not above using that smile when her boyfriend Jeremy’s sister Alison tops the suspect list of Lt. Detective Thomas Dombrowski. The officer, whom Nikki knows as Detective Cutie-Pants, is looking into the matter of Ryan Melton, a Hollywood househusband killed in the privacy of his own sprawling mansion. Ryan’s actress wife, Diara, is cleared of suspicion because she was busy on her latest movie set when the deed went down. Not so for the unfortunate Alison, who, as Ryan and Diara’s dog walker, had unrestricted access to the house. Against Jeremy’s wishes, Nikki tries to help Alison, even though she can’t help wondering if it’s worth the barrier it creates between her and Jeremy, especially when it becomes clear that Alison has more to hide than most dog walkers.

Hollywood insider Crane, daughter of actress Lana Turner, has lived Nikki’s world in real life and fiction (The Bad Always Die Twice, 2011, etc.). She infuses her tale with humor and nuances that overshadow a middling plot.