Death in the 12th House: Where Neptune Rules – A Starlight Detective Agency Mystery by Mitchell Scott Lewis (Poisoned Pen Press, $24.95, 225 pages)
The townhouse had been gutted and its contents piled into an ugly trash container on the street that took up two precious parking spots.
There’s good news for fans of New York City astrologer/detective David Lowell, whose first caper was the subject of Mitchell Scott Lewis’ debut novel, Murder in the Eleventh House: A Starlight Detective Agency Mystery. (Murder in the Eleventh House was earlier reviewed on this site.) Happily, Lewis has maintained the civilized and charming tone in this, his second mystery novel. The story line revolves around a group of aging musicians who are dying off at an alarming rate. The latest to die is Freddy Finger, lead singer of the group Rocket Fire. His daughter, Vivian Younger, is an actress whose fame and beauty insure that her father’s death will be investigated thoroughly by the New York Police Department and their special consultant, David Lowell.
His chart does show that he has a temper, and he’s overly emotional, but then he’s a musician.
While the names of the various musicians are fictitious, their exploits are clearly taken from real life. This site features the biographies of many famous musicians, both living and dead. Any one of them will provide proof of this point.
Lewis is master of building plenty of fascinating information into his plots. Although astrology in its purest form is a complicated discipline, detective David Lowell makes it almost easy to understand as he tutors the various members of his staff, family and Vivian Younger.
The names Lewis gives to his characters are clues in themselves. The reader will most likely delight in the wealth of double entendres and the pun-like quality of his writing. This seemingly innocent little book packs plenty of punch and entertainment!
Well recommended.
Ruta Arellano
A review copy was provided by the publisher.
Joseph's Reviews 