Book Review: Cool Cache

Reviewed By: Pat Reid - RAM

Cool Cache     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Patricia Smiley
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Woman Main Character   Amateur Sleuth
Series: Tucker Sinclair # 4
Hardcover, 304 pages, $16.29

Chocolates lovers can find plenty to choose from at Nectar in Los Angeles. Nectar is a chocolate shop owned by Helen Taggart. The chocolates sound wonderful and the shop is decorated with candy molds and various utensils used in the making of chocolates. Tucker Sinclair has been hired by Helen Taggart, owner of Nectar, as a consultant to help ensure the success of Nectar. The success of Nectar is threatened when Tucker stops by one evening and finds Lupe Ortiz, Helen’s cleaning woman, murdered.

There are no end to the suspects it seems. Helen has had problems with her ex-husband. Helen has also had some problems with the owner of the restaurant adjoining Nectar. The restaurant owner keeps taking Helen’s parking spaces and is upset because Helen won’t sell him her chocolates at a bargain basement price to serve at this restaurant. Lupe has had problems with her son who is a member of a local gang.

The only real clue left at the scene is a feather from the quetzal bird. Tucker puts Eugene Barstok, secretary to Tucker and private detective Charley Tate, to work researching the quetzal. To make matters worse Eugene’s mother decides to show up in town on a visit

Cool Cache is a great addition to the Tucker Sinclair series. The reader will learn quite a lot about chocolate as well as a lot about the quetzal bird. Tucker’s love life is not running too smooth and neither is Charley Tate’s. Tucker’s ex-boyfriend is now engaged. Charley’s younger wife wants to start a family. Eugene decides to go back to his Bix Waverly disguise and carry the investigation much further against Tucker’s orders. This is a good mystery with some really fun characters.

Pat Reid - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Pat Reid - RAM