Irene Seligman loves the warmth and beauty of her Southwest hometown, but only one thing could make her quit her prestigious job as an assistant district attorney in Manhattan to return there: the guilt applied by her demanding mother, Adelle. After Adelle’s most recent husband dies, leaving her with nothing, Irene decides to take a break from prosecuting criminals to move back to Santa Fe and open an upscale consignment store. With Irene’s determination and her mother’s eye for haute couture, they’re sure to make a killing.
But on the day of the grand opening, Irene discovers the body of one of Adelle’s friends in her storeroom. And although the intrigue causes business to boom, when someone else from Adelle’s social circle is murdered, Irene begins to suspect her mother might be in danger too. Ever the protective daughter, Irene investigates her mother’s friends, suspicious that they’re hiding more than designer clothes in their closets. But as she gets closer to uncovering some real skeletons, Irene might not live to regret coming home again.
Review
A Killer Closet introduces us to Irene Seligman, a capable and well-meaning former attorney who, for a number of personal reasons, finds herself starting over back in her home town, Santa Fe. Irene’s new life as the proprietor of a luxury consignment shop gets off to a bad start when a prominent socialite is found dead in the closet of Irene’s new store on opening day. We get to know Irene’s self-centered mother, her mother’s eccentric friends, a mercurial police chief, a high-profile lawyer who is oddly low-key, an “angel” of a shop assistant, and the community itself. Even as Paul keeps up the pace, we become acquainted with Santa Fe’s unique history and atmosphere. While I sometimes found myself (mentally) yelling at Irene for her decisions, I couldn’t put the book down. I’m definitely looking forward to the sequel!
About The Author
Award-winning novelist Paula Paul was born on her grandparents’ cotton farm near Shallowater, Texas, and graduated from a country high school near Maple, Texas. She earned a BA in journalism and has worked as a reporter for newspapers in both Texas and New Mexico. She’s been the recipient of state and national awards for her work as a journalist as well as a novelist. Her previous novels featuring Dr. Alexandra Gladstone, including Symptoms of Death, have appeared on bookstore and online bestseller lists. She is also the author of the Mystery by Design series, which she wrote as Paula Carter. She lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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