The Devil's Interval

Starred review from July 29, 2013
In Peterson’s smart sequel to Edited to Death (2005), which introduced San Francisco magazine editor Maggie Fiori, Maggie swears up, down, and sideways to her husband that she will no longer investigate affairs that don’t concern her, but her criminal defense lawyer friend, Isabella Fuentes, easily persuades her to make a trip to San Quentin Prison to see Travis Gifford (aka the Limousine Lothario), a limo driver on death row for murdering his client and lover, socialite Grace Plummer. Readers will enjoy Maggie’s smart-alecky quips about Grace’s social circle as she investigates the secret life of the superficially perfect socialite. Never have therapy sessions been more enjoyable than Maggie’s, as her signature wit is on full display when her husband drags her to marriage counseling. Maggie’s inner monologue carries the story, transforming what could have been a humdrum premise into a fast-paced, intelligent tale of intrigue that will keep readers guessing until the refreshing end. Agent: Amy Rennert, Amy Rennert Agency.

Starred review from September 1, 2013

Once again, Maggie Fiori, a San Francisco magazine editor, finds herself tangled in a crime case. Friends in a defense group for death row inmates want her to meet a prisoner, Travis Gifford, also known as the Limousine Lothario, who is appealing his sentence. Convicted for murdering a high-society client (and lover), Travis nonetheless maintains his innocence. Maggie's curiosity gets the better of her, and soon she's investigating, under the auspices of writing a magazine feature about the victim. Maggie's last foray into detecting almost got her killed, so this time her husband gets involved, too. They learn that Grace Plummer, the victim, was no ordinary socialite. As Maggie's team research and interview (including a steamy couple of segments in an exclusive sex club), they acknowledge the familiar maxim: the rich are different. And some of them have no compunction about killing again. VERDICT This sophomore entry featuring journalist-sleuth Maggie Fiori (after Edited to Death) is impossible to put down. Sparkling dialog, references both musical and literary, and an offbeat cast of believable characters make the pages fly by. Peterson's secondary plot about Maggie's family is balanced, never overwhelming the mystery.

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