Zac Bissonnette

This was a fun debut, but since I actually read it in Palm Springs, it made it even more fun! It was easy to visualize the shops, spots and mid-century homes the characters visit during the course of the book. Jay and Cindy are former soap opera stars, former spouses and proud owners of a new adventure in Palm Springs, a movie memorabilia shop. The two remained best friends after each came out of the closet while still on the soap and the divorce hit the headlines. Yana Tosh, a true star of the old movies in the 50s and 60s, gives Jay and Cindy a chance to handle the sale of some of her extensive memorabilia collection. All of the characters are great. I loved Mary, their old friend who works at the store. The mystery was twisty and pretty hard to figure out--I didn't realize the end until it kind of happened.… (altro)

antiques, memorabilia, ephemera, auctions, situational-humor, verbal-humor, Hollywood, amateur-sleuth, friendship, family-dynamics, cozy-mystery, LGBT, pets, murder, murder-investigation, gambling-addiction, grief, grieving*****

The publisher's blurb is a good intro, so I won't repeat it. From that interesting beginning the story kicks into gear with a pair of amateurs sleuthing their way through a murder investigation, becoming suspects themselves, an attraction between Jay and the Homicide Detective, and occasional wallows in grief by Cindy who lost her beloved wife of almost twenty years to recurrent cancer. Lots of interesting characters, both supportive as well as fellow suspects. The underlying theme is the mad world of Hollywood memorabilia and the people who pay exorbitant amounts of money to be part of the dream. Great first in series! And, unlike TV, books only get better as the series unfolds!
I requested and received a free e-book copy from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. Thank you! 4-18-22
I have now been loaned the audio from Dreamscape Media via NetGalley, and WOW. It is even better in audio narrated alternately by Melanie Carey & Paul Bellatoni! I've not listened to Paul Bellantoni before, but he is worth listening to as he really adds to the fun and the drama. Melanie Carey has narrated several other books that I have and she is a delight to listen to because of her interpretattion of the characters as well as the tone of her voice. Guess I'll have to put a crowbar in my wallet and actually buy tis in audio. 7-29-22… (altro)