Death by Tiara

July 27, 2015
At the start of Levine's entertaining 13th Jaine Austen mystery (after 2013's Killing Cupid), L.A. freelancer Jaine, who's accustomed to writing ads for drycleaners, roofers, and plumbers, agrees to compose a song for Taylor Van Sant, a contestant in the Orange County division of the Miss Teen Queen America beauty pageant. Taylor's mother, a former garlic festival queen, is sure that original lyrics will make her daughter stand out from the crowd, and Jaine is happy to pocket the $500 fee. At the beauty pageant, held at a rundown hotel, Jaine discovers that the event's formidable director, Candace Burke, is engaged in a little blackmailing. When someone fatally bludgeons Candace's assistant with a rhinestone tiara, perhaps mistaking her for her boss, Jaine turns sleuth. Meanwhile, Jaine, "a woman whose spiciest romance in the last several years had been with Chef Boyardee," is thrilled to be dating homicide detective Scott Willis, whom she met in Killing Cupid. Humorous emails from Jaine's parentsâdad is obsessed with his golf cart, mom with dietingâadd to the cozy fun. Agent: Evan Marshall, Evan Marshall Agency.