Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man: A Girl Friday Mystery
Description
Life as a secretary in New York just got tougher when Viviana Valentine’s boss goes M.I.A in this debut historical mystery, perfect for fans of Susan Elia MacNeal and Frances Brody.
New York City, 1950. Viviana Valentine is Girl Friday to the city’s top private investigator, Tommy Fortuna. The clients can be frustrating, and none more maddening than fabulously wealthy Tallmadge Blackstone, who demands Tommy tail his daughter, Tallulah, and find out why she won’t marry his business partner, a man forty years her senior. Sounds like an open-and-shut case for a P.I. known for busting up organized crime—but the next day, Viviana opens the office to find Tommy missing and a lifeless body on the floor.
The cops swoop in and Detective Jake Lawson issues a warrant for Tommy’s arrest. Desperate to clear Tommy’s name, Viviana takes on the Blackstone case herself. When she goes out for a night on the town with the heiress, she begins to learn the secrets behind Tallulah’s headline-grabbing life. Meanwhile, Lawson is itching to solve his murder case, and continues harassing Viviana for answers—until she’s the victim of a series of violent attacks.
But Tommy’s still missing, and Viviana is scared. As she digs into the dirty history of the Blackstone empire, she suddenly realizes the true danger at hand. Now, it’s up to her to find her missing boss and make sure he doesn’t turn up D.O.A.
Praise for Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man: A Girl Friday Mystery
Praise for Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man:
“[A] sprightly debut . . . Edwards writes with flair.”
—The New York Times
“A snappy valentine to a bygone era . . . [with] a raft of twists and complications.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“A solid debut . . . For fans of hardboiled PIs with hearts of gold.”
—Library Journal
“Edwards nails the tone, with dialogue and milieu evocative of classic noir.”
—Bookpage
“A delightful historical treat . . . Charming with headstrong women, suspense, humor, and plenty of twists.”
—Portland Book Review, 5-star review
“[An] old-fashioned New York gumshoe detective novel, but brought up to date and given a very feminine spin . . . A pleasure to read.”
—Historical Novel Society
“A riveting, pulse-pounding, compulsive page turner of a novel.”
—Midwest Book Review
“Everything a novel needs to have, a strong female character, a gumshoe P.I., a great setting in New York City, fun story, and strong supporting characters.”
—Red Carpet Crash
“A must read for fans of historical cozies.”
—Gumshoe Reviews
“Viviana Valentine definitely gets her man and more . . . Readers will love this book and the story.”
—Cozy Mystery Book Reviews
“It’s the steamy NYC summer of 1950, and Viviana’s boss is awol, there are unpaid bills, a tricky case, and an unconscious galoot on the office floor. She steps over the broken glass, touches up her lipstick and gets to work. A delightful PI romp that takes you back to when men were men, and girls wore strappy espadrilles and the perfect sundress and didn’t take crap from anyone. Viviana Valentine is a keeper. Can’t wait to read the next one in the series!”
—Iona Whishaw, award-winning and bestselling author of the Lane Winslow series
“Edwards' clever, highly enjoyable debut is a love letter to the old-school private eye, starring a street-smart secretary who finds herself suddenly tasked with solving the cases of New York's rich and famous. With a stellar cast of supporting characters and a 1950s setting that drips with life, Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man unfolds a fun, twisty mystery before sticking the landing for a satisfying final reveal. This firecracker of a series opener will leave readers ready for more Viv!”
—Allison Epstein, author of A Tip for the Hangman
