1950’s PI duo’s sleuthing!

Viviana Valentine Goes Up the River (Girl Friday #2) by Emily J. Edwards  

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ok I wasn’t feeling the love, I was finding it hard to identify with the characters. I knew it was supposed to be a spoof on 1950’s type mystery novels, but on first beginnings reading I found it more a B grade movie than a jewel in the crown. Anyway I gave it a second chance read and loved it!

I adored the PI team of Viviana Valentine and Tommy Fortuna. They were awesome.

This is a locked room mystery and as I became more engrossed it sparked me up. At that first attempt I obviously was not in the mood, next time round was a winner.

I love the cover of the book btw.

Tally, Viviana and Tommy’s very rich secretary and acquaintance from a prior case, takes a phone call at home from her friend Buster Beacon needing a private eye for some rather embarrassing, ridiculous even, occurrences. As Buster puts it, “Woo-woo creaks and ghastly sounds.”

Viviana and Tommy take the case and find themselves upstate at Buster’s country mansion ready to investigate those strange noises. 

There’s a mansion with passageways, a body, a sudden snowstorm, and let’s not forget the woo-woo noises!

The guests range from two bright tech men with work that involves dangerous secrets, an investor and his wife, a neighbor, a regular upper crust gal, and of course the butler. 

Street smart and sassy playing well into its genre and era. All I can say is thank goodness I began over. I was won!

A Crooked Lane Books ARC via NetGalley.                                              

Many thanks to the author and publisher.