COOL CACHE
A Tucker Sinclair Mystery
Patricia Smiley
Obsidian
ISBN 9780451224019 (Hardcover)
June 2008
Mystery

Tucker Sinclair is a business doctor of sorts. The service she provides often results in greater sales and success for her clients. The task at hand for Tucker finds her working with Helen Taggart and her Beverly Hills chocolate boutique called Nectar. One night, Tucker notices that the door to Helen's shop is ajar and she naturally investigates. What Tucker finds in chocolate strewn about the floor and the cleaning woman dead in the bathroom. An exotic green feather is found nearby. Though she has warned him against it, Tucker's quirky assistant, Eugene begins his own investigation and promptly goes missing. Could a visit from the young man's domineering mother be the real reason for Eugene's disappearance? From the history of chocolate, East Los Angeles gang folklore, stolen artifacts, illegal drugs and messy divorces, Tucker and company gather clues in an effort to stay ahead of both a killer and the police.

COOL CACHE is the fourth installment in Ms. Smiley's series featuring a delightfully unflappable heroine. The captivating narrative is infused with humor and details which convey many of the nuances of life in Southern California. However, it is the dynamic characters which drive COOL CACHE. Tucker is confident and caring, her relationships run the gambit among friends, colleagues and loved ones. Tucker and Deegan make an intriguing pair (as ex-lovers) and the author has left readers with a stunning cliffhanger. Having not yet had the pleasure of reading the previous titles, I approached this book as a stand-alone mystery and was thoroughly satisfied with the experience. However, it goes without saying how much I am looking forward to more and hope we won't have long to wait! Recommended!

Reviewed by Melissa Fowler
Rating 4 1/2