A FEW MURDERS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD

In this novel, a man and a woman team up to solve seemingly unrelated crimes, both hoping to leave behind their ruts and find new directions for their lives.

April September and Preston Tremlock are approaching middle age with plenty of dreams but little success to show for them. April is a fledgling mystery writer collecting rejection slips while working a banking job she hates. Preston is an amateur detective loathed by the local police force that he pesters with his investigative theories. The two meet when April storms into Preston’s office at the insurance company where he has a short-term gig. Despite such an antagonistic beginning, they discover they both love mysteries. Although she’s engaged, April agrees to go out for coffee with him after he returns her notebook, which she had lost. Their big break comes when April’s bank is robbed by a trio of Santas, after which millions of dollars disappear. The insurance company, which has fired Preston, offers a $250,000 reward for whomever discovers the missing money. April quits her job and proposes to Preston that they combine their resources by moving in together, focusing on finding the cash (“We’re going to collect that reward. Plus I’m going to write about it and sell it”). April decides Preston is gay without ever confirming that. Together, they forge ahead blithely, ignoring danger, toward a brighter future. In this charming mystery, veteran screenwriter Olek has created a memorable pair in April and Preston. Both think they’re the smartest people in any room, which leads to frequent clashes between them. Later, the fact that Preston isn’t actually gay results in more bumps in their road. But their deductive powers and analytical skills are ideal for the task at hand. Their unorthodox methods and willingness to skirt legalities leave them far ahead of the local cops. As a result, the police fail to uncover the bank theft’s important connection to some murders. Olek’s engaging narrative flies along with April and Preston as they careen from one false lead to another, unbothered by failure. They’re a winning combination, hopefully one that the author will bring back for another case.

This delightful mystery succeeds in uniting two kindred souls in need of a change.