The Winter of Her Discontent

The Winter of Her Discontent
By Kathryn Miller Haines
Harper, 2008. 323 pgs. Mystery

Rosie's had a string of bad luck lately: she was accidentally cast in a Broadway dance chorus in a musical that's got "flop" written all over it. She's worried about her missing-in-action boyfriend who hasn't written in months. Lately she's also been keeping bad company with her mob-muscle pal, Al, who's dabbling in a host of shady money-making enterprises in this time of shortages and rationing. But despite his illicit line of work, Al's no killer. When the cops finger him for his girlfriend's murder, Rosie and Jayne, her closest friend, set out to clear Al's name, and plunge into an intricate backstage drama featuring a bevy of suspiciously well-dressed wannabe starlets. But the plot could soon be taking another lethal turn, bringing a final curtain down on Rosie, Jayne, and all their good intentions.

This is the second installment of the Rosie Winter Mysteries. I read the first book in this series, The War Against Miss Winter, awhile ago and really enjoyed it. This is a great series if you're looking for clean mysteries and if you like historical fiction, particularly WWII. I love Rosie Winter's character, she has a sense of humor and her personality peppers the sometimes methodical move from clue to clue. I thought Haines really brought war-time New York to life in this book, not just setting the stage but delving into the moods and psyche of the era. For someone who doesn't usually like mysteries, I love this series.

BHG