Death over easy

the long version

Growing up risk-averse in a family of gamblers and aerial daredevils, shy editor Emma Trace has never quite gotten used to the wild dares of her dad and uncles. On the eve of her thirty-fifth birthday, as she races to win a bet and dodge a flight in her uncle's aerobatic airplane, the cook at her favorite breakfast spot is found dead in the pancake batter. Police tie the crime to Emma when they find her library card at the scene. Forced to look for clues to clear her name, Emma becomes the target of a vicious killer when she uncovers an elaborate blackmail scheme involving members of her small community. Using her improv acting skills and insider's knowledge of the town, Emma and her sidekick, LaRue, confront a string of sleazy characters as they track down the murderer. And although she's terrified to fly, Emma knows there may be no other way to prevent further killings and save the life of the man she loves. A mystery set on the north shore of Long Island, with a touch of thriller and the intoxicating fumes of airplane fuel mixed in, it will keep readers laughing while hanging onto their safety harnesses --