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Reviewed by Liz Konkel for Readers' Favorite
Murder in Plein Air by Karen Leigh Charles is part of the Becca Flynn Mystery series. Becca traded her role as an artist to become a private investigator, but she never could have predicted her next case would revolve around underwear. Her best friend, Pix, is living out her dream of operating a lingerie boutique. Too bad the residents don’t seem too happy to have her shop on Main Street. The controversy catches the attention of a tabloid television show that arrives to cover the drama, only for one of them to be murdered. When Pix receives a death threat, Becca pokes into the investigation and uncovers unique clues that help her get an idea of who the killer is. But she’ll have to work faster if she wants to protect her friend.
The premise is unique and immediately creates an environment for comedy, which is perfect for a cozy mystery. Karen Leigh Charles sets the tone quickly as lighthearted and upbeat, both of which are elements that are seen continuously throughout, and are accomplished by revolving the mystery around the controversy of Pix’s lingerie shop. The drama delivers perfect fodder for comedy, with events taken a step further thanks to a TV crew. This takes a quick turn when murder is involved, and creates an assortment of obstacles and sleuthing hijinks for Becca. Her friendship with Pix is at the core of the story, with her desire to keep her friend safe driving her to investigate. The scenes between them are always fun to read as Pix has a vivid personality that balances out Becca’s well, and you can easily see why the two have the bond they do. The writing is fun with words with unique phrases, such as 'dyed-in-the-wool beauty,' and plenty of humor. This keeps the story engaging and helps maintain the cozy elements. Highly recommended to mystery and comedy fans as the story delivers sleuthing antics, friendship moments, murder, and delightful chaos with each chapter. Murder in Plein Air is humorous, charming, chaotic, and so much fun.
