cover image Murder Ballad

Murder Ballad

Elizabeth K. Wadsworth. CreateSpace, $14.95 paper (381p) ISBN 978-1-4775-1711-6

Allison Malloy may just be a secretary, but she sees everything that goes on at Straight and Russell, Private Investigations. She knows about every case the detectives are working on and helps with some aspects of the investigations. Yet when one of their clients, the dazzling, wealthy, and seductive Mavis Knight disappears, and then Knight%E2%80%99s maid turns up dead, Malloy has to step up and help her boss Danny Russell crack the case. The perspective shifts between Danny and Malloy, giving readers an unusual view of the investigation. The duo have different styles and ways of approaching a problem, and they have a fun rapport with each other, trading puns and jokes while working. However, the pulpy novel has problems with pacing: the setup is too slow and the investigation plays out too quickly. Additionally, the author could have done more with a potentially interesting setting: New York City circa 1947.