Handbags and Homicide (Haley Randolph Mystery 1) - Softcover

Starred Review. Howell's winning debut introduces Haley Randolph, a self-described crazed, obsessive, handbag whore, whose designer bag addiction has put her into mega–credit card debt. After Haley loses her accounting job with a prestigious Los Angeles law firm because of suspected embezzlement, she takes a part-time job during the Christmas season at Holt's Department Store, where she connects with Ty Cameron, the store's gorgeous young owner. When Haley becomes a murder suspect after finding the corpse of Holt's despised assistant manager, she resolves to find the true killer. Haley's amusing narrative voice energizes the crime solving and canoodling (Oh my God, what was I thinking? I couldn't have sex with Ty Cameron to keep my job—I could under other circumstances, of course—but not for a job at Holt's). Reminiscent of Reese Witherspoon's character in the Legally Blonde films, Haley evolves from a total airhead into a semi-airhead without breaking a nail. A cool cliffhanger will leave readers eager for Haley's next adventure. (July)
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Haley Randolph is a designer-handbag addict. To support her habit, she supplements her job as a finance clerk at Los Angeles law firm Pike Warner with a position at Holt’s, a middling department store. Things go awry when, in the space of a few days, she discovers the Holt’s assistant manager murdered in the storeroom, and stands accused of embezzlement at Pike Warner. To clear her name on both counts, Haley investigates her coworkers with the help of Jack, a sexy PI. She also develops a crush on Ty Cameron, the young scion of the Holt’s chain. Howell, who under the pen name Judith Stacy has written 22 historical-romance novels, now takes on the mystery genre with the first in a series featuring quick-to-learn new sleuth Haley. A twist on the traditional whodunit, this light mystery makes up for a lack of gripping suspense with lots of humor and style. --Aleksandra Walker