POISONED TARTS by G. A. McKevett

SERIES/SLEUTH: Savannah Reid

# IN SERIES: 13

AUTHOR WEBSITE: http://www.sonjamassie.com/

GENRE: Cozy/Amatuer Sleuth

PUBLISHER: Kensington (hardcover, May 2008)

There is a measure I have for how much I love a particular mystery series that I read: do I buy the new books in hardcover, or wait until the paperback reprint of the book comes out?

In the vast majority of cases, I'll wait until the paperback release -- I have over 80 active mystery series that I'm reading, so the costs add up. I simply can't afford to but all mystery books in hardcover. However, there are a few -- a very few -- series that I not only buy in hardcover, but I relish and not a little impatience. Series by Louise Penny, Sue Grafton, and a couple of others fall into this categoy -- as does the wonderful Savannah Reid mystery series by G. A. McKevett (pseudonym for author Sonja Massie).

POISONED TARTS is book #13 in the series, and as it turns out, it is a lucky 13. The series finds our heroine, plus-sized P.I. Savannah Reid, dishing out her Southern charm wisdom and putting bad people (including a wife & child abuser) in their place with her confidence, smarts, and charm. She is delightful, and has surrounded herself with a team of characters (in both senses of that word), who are all back for this murder mystery -- including former police partner Detective Sageant Dirk Coulter, computer whiz Tammy Hart, and handsome best friends (and James Bond-like helpers) Ryan and John (who are life-partners). This newest in the series also features Gran, Savannah's wise and warm grandmother who helped raise her and her siblings.

Unlike previous books where Savannah stumbles into a situation, POISONED TARTS is Dirk's responsiblity -- first having to find a young girl who is the friend of three obnoxious, famous socialites who call themselves The Skeleton Key Three (think Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, and Lindsay Lohan banding together). The young girl has disappeared and no one is talking; in fact, no one except the girl's mother seems that concerned. The Skeleton Key Three is so wrapped up in their own shallow world that they don't seem to have much to do with the missing girl. But Dirk and Savannah are too smart for them, and just as they are making headway, a murder happens (no spoilers in any of my reviews!). Suffice to say, it takes all of Savannah and Dirk's sleuthing skills to find the murder(s) and bring everyone to justice.

While this is not the best in the series, the mere fact that the author is putting out such quality material after writing a dozen previous books is admirable. And the reason that I love Savannah Reid (and am willing to pay hardcover prices to read her adventures) is because Savannah is the perfect cozy mystery heroine -- spunky, resourceful, funny, and has a great heart. She is the kind of person you'd want as a good friend (albeit a friend who seems to have murders happen all around her).

As always, I recommend starting with the first book in the series, JUST DESSERTS, and catching up to the latest -- and still darn good -- in this wonderful series. POISONED TARTS is sweet to read.