November 25, 2013
In Levine’s so-so 12th Jaine Austen mystery (after 2012’s Death of a Neighborhood Witch), the freelance writer and self-described “semiprofessional private eye” encounters homicide at a Beverly Hills dating service. Jaine leaps at the chance to work at the dating agency when its owner, Joy Amoroso, offers her a job writing sales brochure copy. With Valentine’s Day approaching, Jaine thinks she’ll have a chance to do some good, not to mention possibly find a romance of her own, only to discover that her boss is a ruthless taskmaster. When the inaptly named Joy is found murdered, Jaine goes to work clearing herself from suspicion and winnowing the lengthy list of suspects. Though Levine offers a well-crafted plot, broad comedy overwhelms the crime-solving, resulting in a book like the Double-Stuf Oreos Jaine is fond of—just a little too much. Agent: Evan Marshall, Evan Marshall Agency.