Dead Air by Mary Kennedy


I needed this book, Dead Air as a refreshing palate cleanser. And even if it's a light read, it manages to be insightful and oh-so-witty. Dr. Maggie Walsh is working at a Florida radio station, where she puts her psychology background to good use by answering listeners' question and interviewing a wide range of 'experts.' One of them Guru Sanjay Gingii, a new age guru in town for a conference with his followers, who Maggie immediately pegs as a sociopath.



But he is not the villain in this story. Fortunately, he gets unceremoniously discarded, I meant killed, the next day.
Unfortunately, Dr. Maggie's roommate the delicate blonde Lark, who literally can't hurt a fly (a girl who owns a pug can never be a killer, no way) is the primary suspect after being the last one who's seen the charlatan alive.

I love how loyal and sure of her friend's innocence Dr. Maggie is, she throws herself into the investigation, confident she will cleare her friend's name. Dr. Maggie is astute, curious and proceeds with a can-do attitude that a lot of female protagonist in recent crime fiction lack. The ace up the sleeve is Dr. Maggie's mom Lola, and older but still aspiring actress, bouncing around on eternal optimism and joie de vivre. The two of them set on the course trying to discover the real killer, and with the victim being an asshole, that means having tons of options.
There's a lot of laughs, a hint of romance, some action, and lots of pop references. It is written in a concise, fresh style, that flows. Dead Air is as breezy, frizzy, colorful and promising ( it's part one of a series) as a fragrant Florida night.