TALL, DEAD, AND HANDSOME
Berkley, Nov 2001, 6.50, 304 pp.
ISBN: 0425182231
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Just North of San Francisco in Marin County, Hill Creek is a weird combination of chic and New Age. Though everyone is wealthy, harmony does not exist. Renowned womanizer Mayor Alex Postman supports having Signatech establish facilities in the town in order to provide new jobs and money, but Hannah Malloy believes the firm will spoil the small town atmosphere.
Hannah plans to run for mayor against Alex unless he changes his position. At a fund-raiser, Hannah intends to plead with Alex, but before she can, someone kills him. Another mayoral candidate is found dead in the back of Hannah's truck. The police look at Hannah as the prime suspect in both homicides. With the help of her sister Kiki, Hannah begins her own investigation in order to clear her name before they throw the book at her.
Hill Creek is the type of place people like to visit to see if the townsfolk are as eccentric and zany as described in TALL, DEAD, AND HANDSOME. Kiki and Hannah trade quips and insults at a pace that would overwhelm Abbot and Costello, but their shared love for one another still shines through the tale. This who-done-is a fun to read amateur sleuth novel that demonstrates that Annie Griffin knows how to write an exciting, humorous puzzler.
Harriet Klausner
The review of this Book prepared by Harriet Klausner