DESIGNS ON THE DEAD

An American expatriate investigates the death of a designer.

After living abroad for decades with her banker husband, Alan Field, part-time poet Rachel Levis has come to feel at home in Paris. But negotiating the labyrinth of tests and certifications required to get a private investigator’s license is still a challenge. Both her husband and her best friend, Magda Stevens, encourage her, and to her delight, Capitaine Boussicault of the local police is supportive, since he found her helpful in solving two of his previous cases. While she’s still navigating the system, a third puzzle drops into her lap: Roland Guipure, head designer of the House of Sauveterre, dies of a heroin overdose at his 40th birthday party at trendy LaLa Lounge. Rachel is leery when she reads that left-handed Guipure died of a fatal injection in his left arm, and the police soon confirm her suspicion that the heir to the fashion empire was murdered. With Boussicault’s blessing, Rachel and Magda interview beaucoup de suspects, including Roland’s twin sister, Antoinette, who handles the financial end of Sauveterre; his former lover Cyrille Thieriot; and aspiring biographer Gédéon Naquet. They offer a host of bogus cover stories, pretending to sponsor a charity gala in memory of the late Guipure and posing as filmmakers hoping to make a movie of his life story. But none are as outlandish, or as entertaining, as the truth: that they are ladies of a certain age who amuse themselves playing detective with an impressive record of success.

Lively and well plotted, with enchanting glimpses of life in Paris from an American’s-eye view.