A review by kansas_girl
A Streetcar Named Murder by T.G. Herren

funny informative lighthearted mysterious relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

This fun, cozy novel is set in New Orleans, and how much fun is that! Herren is a long-time resident who fills this novel with a deep knowledge of this city’s culture and customs, and he creates a keen sense of place. The heroine, Valerie Cooper, receives a strange letter from a law firm telling her that her late husband’s great uncle has left her a partnership in a thriving New Orleans antique shop as well as an estate that is going to save her from having to sell her beautiful historic home in the Irish Channel neighborhood of the city. The problem is that she never knew this uncle existed as he had been estranged from his family for decades. Slowly she learns that even her husband didn’t tell her everything, and old rivalries and hurts hurl themselves at her until she finds a local real estate agent (who is her personal nemesis) stabbed to death at a costume party for a women’s Mardi Gras club. First in a new series, this book is a quick, entertaining read with lots of eccentric characters that I hope Herren builds on in the future. Oh, and there’s a yellow cat. Can’t have a cozy mystery without a cat.