Murder under the stars…
Nora Blackbird—pregnant at last!—is spending summer afternoons wallowing in the Bucks County pool of her best friend, Lexie Paine, who has just been released from prison. At night, Nora is covering Philadelphia’s high-society events for the local newspaper. And this time she doesn’t have to look far for a good story.
Next door, a Broadway show is in rehearsal at the estate of Toodles Tuttle, the long-deceased but ever-legendary composer. Reigning over the estate is Toodles’s diva widow, Boom Boom. The demanding old broad still rules with an iron fist, and considering the chorus line of enemies she’s racked up over the years, her death has been a hotly anticipated event. So imagine everyone’s dismay when it’s her beloved daughter, Jenny, who drops dead—from a cause that is anything but natural—just as the lights are set to go on for the lucrative new Toodles musical.
Yet murder is only an overture to the drama to come….Nora’s sister Libby, a soon-to-be-grandmother, has gotten herself into a sticky situation, wooed by both a lowly bug exterminator and a cheesecake-loving Broadway impresario. Edgy sister Emma has a dangerous new boyfriend who may jeopardize her show-jumping exploits. And the love of Nora’s life, Mick Abruzzo, has been desperate to prevent Nora from meeting the most notorious member of his mobbed-up family—his mother.
Now Nora has to deal with the bump-and-grind of her personal life, and also bring the curtain down on a daring killer—before he forces her to exit stage left, permanently.
For fans of: Rhys Bowen
Nora Blackbird couldn’t be happier. She’s got a job she loves, her best friend Lexie Paine is out of prison, and she’s finally decided to marry love-of-her-life Michael Abruzzo – Blackbird family curse be damned. She spends her days helping Lexie duck the paparazzi, her evenings covering high-profile parties for the paper, and her nights planning the future with her fiancé.
Then Lexie’s neighbor, Jenny Tuttle (daughter of legendary Broadway composer Toodles Tuttle), is poisoned, and everything goes to hell. The press descends. Lexie’s hiding place is discovered. Desperate to increase circulation, Nora’s boss starts hounding her to either dish about her friend or dig up dirt on the deceased. And the police start sniffing around Nora’s nearest and dearest. Nora knows the only way to put an end to the madness is to solve Jenny’s murder, but that’s easier said than done – especially given the fact that Nora’s seven months pregnant.
A Little Night Murder is the tenth of Nancy Martin’s Blackbird Sisters Mysteries – a superb series that’s only getting better with each new installment. The book’s pacing is perfect; Martin knows precisely when (and how) to lighten the mood and when to let a dramatic moment stand. Martin’s prose is graceful and intelligent without calling too much attention to itself. Her dialogue is a joy to read. And the book’s whodunit is clever, fun, and satisfying (if a tad far-fetched).
Martin’s character work is superb. Nora’s a fabulously compelling protagonist; gracious, generous, and loyal to a fault, she’s absolutely the person you want in your corner when the chips are down. Nora’s sister Libby is marvelous comic relief; her very presence in a scene guarantees a laugh, and even when she’s offstage, the ridiculous maternity t-shirts Nora sports throughout the book (courtesy of Libby) are always good for a chuckle. Youngest sister Emma continues to beguile and intrigue; full of spit, vinegar, and bad decisions, she’s by far the most entertaining of the Blackbirds, and you can’t help but root for her to find happiness. And the relationships that bind the Blackbird siblings are about as realistic as they come – nuanced, complicated, and ever-evolving.
Martin packs a ton of emotional content and interpersonal drama into A Little Night Murder, causing you to feel the tale in your head, your heart, and your gut. Be forewarned, though – Martin’s a talented storyteller playing a long game. Chances are good you’ll tear through the book, desperate to reach the end, only to have your heart sink when you realize you’re out of pages and must wait until book eleven to find out what happens next.
If you’ve never read a Blackbird Sisters Mystery, I highly recommend picking up the debut, How to Murder a Millionaire, and working forward from there. If you’re already a Blackbird fan, though, you’re in for a treat with A Little Night Murder.
Reviewed by Kat
