The Bad Always Die Twice

July 11, 2011
Crane, the daughter of movie icon Lana Turner, makes her promising fiction debut with the first in a new series featuring Hollywood realtor Nikki Harper. When the corpse of 1950s TV star Rex March turns up in the bed of Nikki's promiscuous real estate partner, Jessica Martin, the discovery is a double shock as Rex apparently died in a plane crash six months earlier. Nikki utilizes her formidable talentsâa deceptive sweetness, a beguiling smile, and unmitigated chutzpahâto cajole pertinent information out of unwilling persons of interest. But her greatest asset is name-dropping, particularly the name of her famous mother, legendary screen actress Victoria Bordeaux, who eventually adds her own shrewdness and encyclopedic knowledge of Hollywood's secrets to help Nikki's investigation. An amusing and ingenious finale wraps up this good-humored mystery. Crane is also the author of Detour: A Hollywood Story, an autobiography, and Lana: The Memories, the Myths, the Movies.

September 15, 2011
Nikki Harper, daughter of film star Victoria Bordeaux, is drawn into a murder investigation when her good friend and business partner, Jessica Martin, is accused of killing Rex March, who is found dead in Jessica?s bed. Rex, however, was supposed to have died six months earlier in a fiery plane crash; his wealthy widow is enjoying her new lifestyle and already dating a younger man. Why did Rex disappear six months ago? Who knew he was still alive, and who left him dead in Jessica?s bed:? Was it his widow, the widow?s new boyfriend, one of his many former mistresses, his lawyer, or someone else? With her mother?s help, Nikki sets out to solve the case. Nikki is an appealing, down-to-earth woman and a staunch friend who hasn?t been spoiled by her privileged background. Plot twists keep the pages turning, and the Hollywood lifestyle constitutes an engaging frame (though there may be a tad too much product name-dropping). Crane is the daughter of screen legend Lana Turner.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)