Death in the 12th House

August 13, 2012
A killer is targeting aging rock stars in Lewis’s diverting second mystery featuring David Lowell, New York City astrologer and proprietor of the Starlight Detective Agency (after 2011’s Murder in the 11th House). When 63-year-old Freddie Finger, the lead singer for the band Rocket Fire, is found hanging from a heat pipe with three bullets in his body in a Manhattan building undergoing renovation, he is the third vintage rocker to recently meet an untimely end in New York. Freddie’s movie actress daughter, Vivian Younger, is quick to insist that the NYPD bring in Lowell. That the thrice-married Freddie treated women and bandmates poorly ensures a large suspect pool. Lowell, who flexes his astrological muscles in his investigative work, shows he can also rely on his fists. Astrologically inclined cozy fans will find a lot to like.

October 15, 2012
Old rock stars never die. Oh, wait, maybe they do. Freddie Finger, lead singer of legendary '70s band Rocket Fire, stumbles drunkenly out of Cantaloupe's Restaurant in Manhattan and into the path of an unnamed acquaintance, who puts him into the back of a car for one last ride. Freddie's is the third rock 'n' roll killing in recent memory, and the NYPD's Lt. Roland takes the unusual step of putting the latest victim's daughter, Vivian Younger, in touch with his friend, private detective and famed astrologer David Lowell (Murder in the 11th House, 2011). Aided by Sarah, a brisk girl Friday, Lowell proceeds methodically, first interviewing Freddie's former band mates and then his multiple ex-wives before comparing notes with Roland. It's clear that Freddie had no dearth of enemies, a list made even longer by his decades of substance abuse. Interestingly, Freddie's unexpected death is likely to boost sales of an upcoming album. Lowell also checks in regularly with Vivian, and there's definite chemistry between client and sleuth. The reader also gets a glimpse into Lowell's knowledge of astrology, which informs his insights on the case. One afternoon, when Sarah's out of the office, Lowell receives an anonymous tip with a request for a rendezvous in SoHo. Could this be the piece of evidence that breaks the case, or is it an ambush? Lowell's second case lays out a traditional whodunit in a direct and well-balanced manner. But Lewis' prose needs a little less starch and a little more style.

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November 1, 2012

When three dead rock 'n' rollers indicate a disturbing trend, the NYPD enlists assistance from their most atypical consultant, astrologist David Lowell. The cops aren't always thrilled by Lowell's techniques, but a victim's daughter, a famous actress herself, makes a compelling case for giving him free rein. Lowell brings in his charts, battles with Mercury in retrograde, and generally outwits the greedy individuals behind the murders. VERDICT Lewis's clever astrologic detective angle has all the markings of a winning series; this is number two (after Murder in the 11th House). Readers will appreciate the rock 'n' roll references and the detective's unusual methodology. The author misses the mark with the klutzy small-time hoods, but overall he has assembled a good ensemble cast and maintains a chatty and leisurely pace in this almost-cozy procedural. [See Prepub Alert, 7/2/12.]

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