Desert Deadline: A Dante & Jazz Mystery (series installment #2)
Dante O’Donnell and Jazz Friendly make an unlikely pair of crime solvers, thrust together by iffy circumstances in the so-called paradise of sunny Palm Springs. He’s white and gay, a concierge at a vacation-rental outfit; she’s Black and straight, a private eye on the rebound from a failed marriage.
Maude Movay, a reclusive author of romance novels, is facing a tight deadline for a multimillion-dollar deal. So she checks in at one of Dante’s rentals intending to write a blockbuster, then checks out on a gurney, feet first. It was murder, all right, and Jazz steps in to help prove who’s guilty. Soon, though, a second tragedy strikes, this one much too close to home.
For both Dante and Jazz, the race is on to name a killer, save a fortune—and rescue an innocent child.
The gripping yet hilarious second book in Craft’s Dante and Jazz mystery series (after the Edgar-nominated Desert Getaway) again centers on Dante O’Donnell and Jazz Friendly, an unlikely pair of Palm Springs crime solvers. Dante is white, gay and a concierge at a vacation rental outfit; Jazz is Black, straight, and a private eye on a rebound from her failed marriage.This time, the duo meet Maude Movay, a reclusive author of romance novels who has rented one of Dante’s properties to pen her next book for a multimillion dollar deal. But tragedy—or something more sinister—strikes, and it’s up to Dante and Jazz to find out what happened before it’s too late. Soaked in sun and boasting lively chemistry between its leads, the book exudes the bubbly vibe of a memorable vacation with amusing friends. Vivid descriptions of food, clothes, and decor abound, and the cast and conversation prove funny and inviting throughout, the fun sharpened by the life-and-death stakes of the case. Along with witty and observant Dante, and straight-shooter Jazz, the novel bursts with characters who are as quirklily memorable as they are believably human. The writing is sharp and succinct, as is the plotting, carrying the mystery along with brisk confidence. It all culminates into a delicious whodunit.
New readers may find it a challenge to keep up with the roster of characters. (This entry mostly stands alone, but it’s best to start with Desert Getaway). But overall Craft does a great job introducing and fleshing out his people, giving each a distinctive characteristic that makes them near unforgettable. The mystery itself, with its continual surprising developments, is compelling, and keeps readers at the edge of their seat till the very end. Lovers of mystery stories will love this book, which is as funny as it is thrilling.
Takeaway: This Palm Springs mystery is as funny as it is thrilling.
Great for fans of: Rob Osler’s Devil’s Chew Toy, David James’s Three Bedrooms, Two Baths, One Very Dead Corpse.
Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A
Marketing copy: A-
