When fashion reporter Lacey Smithsonian moved to Washington, D.C., from rugged, small town Sagebrush, Colorado, she thought she’d never look back. But when her former boyfriend, cattle rancher Cole Tucker, is arrested for the murders of three women, Lacey digs her cowboy boots out of her closet and hops on the next plane.

She is certain of Tucker’s innocence, until he abducts her during a daring courthouse escape. Is Tucker capable of murder, too? Or is there a larger conspiracy in the small town? Lacey needs to rustle up all the help she can get for this case before her old flame is snuffed out for good...

Review

Fashion reporter Lacey Smithsonian is shocked when she learns her ex-boyfriend Cole Tucker has been arrested for murder. Lacey decides a trip from Washington, D.C. back to Sagebrush, Colorado is necessary so she can attend Cole’s arraignment and get the inside story on what’s really going on. However, Lacey gets more than a scoop when she visits Cole in jail. Cole dupes the guard and escapes - taking Lacey with him! Lacey doesn’t know if this is the act of a man desperate to prove his innocence or of a guilty man trying to get away with murder!
Since she doesn’t have a choice but to spend some time with Cole, Lacey decides to hear him out and see if there are other likely suspects in murder of the three women in the area. Lacey can’t bear to think she misjudged her boyfriend and that he is really a murderer and will not rest until she learns the truth.

Death on Heels is part of the long running Crime of Fashion series. This is a light-hearted series and Lacey is a fun main character. Maybe it’s the change of setting in this book, but I found it to be more enjoyable than other books in the series that I have read. While some of the people Lacey encounters scoff that a fashion reporter gets involved with murder investigations, Lacey explains this by saying as a reporter, she looks for pictures and what doesn’t seem to fit the facts of a case, and that those things that don’t fit and provide valuable clues, often involve clothes. I like that she uses her reporter’s instincts, logic, and deduction to see things that the professional investigators looking into a case miss.

The beginning chapters of the book are a bit slow. While they give needed background information about the main characters to new readers, too much time is spent having Lacey talk about going to see Cole before she takes action. It’s nice to see Lacey’s friends Stella and Brooke, but can’t relate to her mother or her sister, so it took a while for me to get through those beginning scenes. However, once Lacey finally does make the planned trip to see her ex, the action picks up and the fun begins. Cole on the run with Lacey is entertaining, but I especially like the parts of the book when Lacey and her current boyfriend Vic Donovan discuss the murders and possible solutions.

Lacey’s “Fashion Bites” columns are scattered throughout the book and add humor and information about a variety of fashion trends. The columns cover anything from tote bags to cowboy boots, but all tie in with fashion items Lacey has discussed as part of the storyline. I like the humor in the columns and the way they fit with the plot of the book.
The book has a dramatic ending with the crimes solved and explained and also hints of some excitement to come in future books. If you haven’t read this series, but enjoy Elaine Viets, Laura Levine, or Susan Kandel, then Ellen Byerrum is definitely an author you will want to check out.

Reviewed by Christine K.

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