Avon (Paperback), ISBN 0380800640
A petite, pretty blonde walks into the room. Looking pitiful and hopeless, she explains, "My husband beat me and took our daughter." Damn -- a domestic. But smart, sassy, and full of vinegar private detective Casey Jones takes the case anyway. Casey doesn't like domestic cases, but the detective feels sorry for Tawny Bledsoe, whose bruises and scrapes make her look even more pathetic.  

But when the supposedly fugitive husband proves too easy to find, and Tawny's check bounces, Casey can taste her revenge. Realizing that Tawny lied and determined to track her down, Casey finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation -- a murder that fairly screams "Tawny Bledsoe." Resolved to stop this woman and get her money, Casey begins to realize that this Southern Belle reminds her more of a Southern Hell. It will take all of Casey's determination and stamina to bring down this prey before Tawny commits yet another murder.  

A quick-witted, dynamite book, Bad to the Bone reminds me of all of my favorite female sleuth novels, and surpasses many of them. From Casey Jones' no-account ex-husband to her often-depressed wheelchair-bound lover, the secondary characters in Katy Munger's novel entertain you and make you a part of her Southern scenario.  

At the same time, protagonist Casey Jones ramrods the plot with a fabulous in-your-face attitude that instantly made her one of my favorite female PIs. No shy, retiring Southern gal here, Casey reminds me of the best of Bette Davis tempered with the humor of Stephanie Plum.  

As a newcomer to the series, I didn't know what to expect. I emerged at page 275 wanting to read more. Katy Munger writes with a witty, fresh style that echoes the brassy sassiness of her heroine. Munger and Casey captivated me from the very beginning. Hooray for me -- I get to read all of Munger's other Casey Jones' books for the first time…and definitely not the last. If you already read Katy Munger, make sure to put Bad to the Bone on your list for the summer. If you don't, what are you waiting for? 

Maria Y. Lima

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