Avon Books (Paperback), ISBN 0380802821
Professor Bel Barrett may have conquered hot flashes with the patch, but she can't quite get a handle on her own current events. Via email, Bel's daughter announces her upcoming wedding -- and the baby scheduled to arrive much less than nine months afterwards. Bel's son gave up his academic career to become a musician. Of course, Bel loves having him living at home, but room and board for him doesn't include boarding his friend's dog, who terrorizes Bel's cat.

To stop her grinding her teeth, Bel's live-in love Sol takes her for a nice cool-down stroll in Hoboken, N.J., natal home of Frank Sinatra. Instead of cooling down, Bel and Sol discover the corpse of a Sinatra impersonator and promptly land in hot water.

Bel decides not to get involved solving this mystery. But when the police accuse one of her prize students, Bel begins sorting out Sinatra impersonators -- this time with Sol's blessing and (of course) the help of her intrepid friends, Illuminada and Betty. Between arranging a wedding, schlepping her mom Sadie and her housemate Sophia to the dentist and the grocery store, and calming her outraged ex-husband, Bel explores the rich Sinatra history in Hoboken in her search for a murderer.

Jane Isenberg's Mood Swings To Murder offers a delightful tale with a plot enhanced by the rich history of Hoboken. I particularly savored the rich flavors of young and old, rich and poor, Jewish, Italian, and Hispanic that meld together to produce a wonderful dish.

Suzanne Frisbee

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