Killer Summer

May 2, 2005
Curnyn (Bombshell
, etc.) cranks up the heat with a seaside murder and some sexy sleuthing in this lively caper. On New York's Fire Island, three 30-something pals—Nick, an impulsive, charming pipe-dreamer; Sage, a flirty go-getter; and Zoe, a sensitive filmmaker—partake in a tony summer share at the sprawling house of Sage's debonair boss, Tom, and his wife, Maggie. Maggie used to love rock and roll, but now sings in the key of Martha, enlisting her tenants to fetch coriander and "a crisp, citrusy white." That is, until she's found floating in the ocean. Multiple narrators provide diverse perspectives on the matter (Maggie's wry, beyond-the-grave musings seem ripped from the Desperate Housewives
handbook). Sage had certainly hated Maggie, and Tom takes the tragedy a little too in stride, in Zoe's humble opinion; also, it seems that Nick and Maggie had some unfinished business of a highly classified nature. No one's off the hook—unless, by some chance, there's a far more insidious avenger afoot. Whodunit? And who cares? Curnyn's writing is light and zingy, but she expends too much energy on labored plot twists to wring the fun out of this zany crew. Agent, Laura Dail.

June 1, 2005
Zoe, Sage, and Nick have been best friends since high school, and 15 years later, their bond remains strong. The three are going to be sharing a summerhouse on Fire Island with Sage's boss, Tom Landon, and his wife, Maggie. Zoe is reeling from the shock of being dumped by her boyfriend, Myles, while Sage is just looking for a fun romp with a cute local boy or two. Nick is hoping to start his own record label with Maggie's help. Their plans for a fun summer are dashed when Zoe discovers Maggie's lifeless body on the beach. The police rule her death an accident, but Zoe can't escape the nagging suspicion that there's more to it. She starts to conduct her own investigation, not knowing she is endangering one of the people she cares about. Narrated in turns by Zoe, Sage, Nick, and the deceased Maggie, Curnyn's snazzy mystery will appeal to chick-lit fans who like a little suspense in their beach reads.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)