Beaumont is a Seattle detective working on the homicide squad, and in this novel he is faced with a bizarre set of circumstances. A man has ostensibly been killed by being hacked to death with a woman’s high-heeled shoe. This particular woman is also seen leaving the scene of other crimes, and Beaumont soon realizes it must be Jazmyn Day, an excellent singer trying to mak a comeback after recovering from a drug addiction. He’s also mildly in love with her. It soon becomes more complicated as another dead body surfaces, that of a man caught on video at the corporation where he worked, raping a woman friend. Then the man’s wife shows up dead in his apartment.Jance has some wonderful characters in this book. Grace Highsmith is made to be played by Katherine Hepburn. She’s a delight, and the scene where she confesses to the murder in her favorite restaurant, dumping the murder weapon out on the table during a busy lunch, is absolutely priceless. Of course she had nothing to do with the murder, but the denouement takes place at her house and involves her ancient Cadillac. You won’t want to miss this one.
