Title:
King’s Ransom

Author:
Virginia Brown

Published By:
ImaJinn Books

ISBN #:
1-893896-58-7

Release Date:
Available Now

Format:
Electronic, Print

“King’s been kidnapped.” Harley Jean Davidson knows that her parents, Diva and Yogi, are out of the ordinary, but why would they think that someone kidnapped Yogi’s dog, King? But King certainly has disappeared, and Yogi has received a ransom note. Harley, a Memphis tour guide/driver, doesn’t really have the time (nor the experience) to do detective work. But Harley is used to being the responsible one in her family, and taking care of her “flower child” parents. She is drawn into the search for King, eventually leading her into a confrontation with a new neighbor, a man named Bruno Jett who has a suspicious amount of valuable jewelry on his coffee table, and involves her in the murder of another neighbor. Because of her involvement in these events, she is back in contact with Bobby Baroni, a childhood friend, now a policeman. Aided by her best friend Cami, foster mom to rescued animals, and her co-worker Tootsie, hacker extraordinaire and aspiring drag queen, Harley attempts to prove her parents are innocent of the murder.

This is a whacky, off-the-wall mystery with a hilarious cast of characters. In addition to a mystery, this book is filled with humor. As I was reading this story, I caught myself bursting out laughing in public places and getting funny looks from the people around me! Told from Harley’s viewpoint, the reader hears the clues just as she does, giving one the opportunity to try to figure out the mystery. Harley and Cami are refreshingly irreverent characters, which are a counterpoint to the stern and forbidding demeanor of the police characters. The plot is complex and speeds along with barely a pause to draw breath. I enjoyed reading this story, and recommend it as a light read for all readers, but especially mystery fans.


Reviewed by: Jean