RIP 6; Mystery and Suspense Challenge
Finding ways to put amateur sleuths into mysteries can be tricky, and it felt a little forced in this book. Brett Kavanaugh, owner of the classy tattoo shop in Vegas, The Painted Lady, keeps sticking her nose in business that she shouldn't. She has cop for a brother, which gives her some inside information into the crimes. Maybe because I usually read mysteries based on the police point of view, but Brett's continual refusal to help the police, or her complete defiance of answering their questions truthfully, or going her own way, bothered me more in this book.
When I can ignore this aspect of moving the plot along, I did enjoy the book. After witnessing an assault at a drag queen show, and then the disappearance of one of her employees, Brett gets involved. Her store had done some of the tattoos for the performers. She spies a tattoo on the assaulter and discovers that it was done at her rival and possible romantic interest, Jeff Coleman's. The characters who work with Brett are fun, and the setting of Vegas is perfect for over the top events.
There are two more books in the series, Driven to Ink, and Ink Flamingos, and I'm sure I'll continue reading to see how Brett's romantic life continues and to get more background in case I travel to visit Vegas.
