DEATH, TAXES, AND A CHOCOLATE CANNOLI – Diane Kelly
A Tara Holloway Novel
St. Martin's
ISBN: 978-1-250-04833-2
October 2015
Mystery

Dallas, Texas – Present Day

No case is too tough for IRS Special Agent Tara Holloway, but seeing how a reputed mob boss silences threats against him will likely give her nightmares. Since Tara is the best agent, her boss has put her in charge of formulating a plan of action against the mob boss, Tino Fabrizio, who is suspected of extorting money from business owners through the security alarm company he owns. Add in that several people associated with Tino have either mysteriously disappeared or their bodies found, grotesquely murdered. Tara lands a job at Tino's wife's restaurant as a waitress, which happens to be next door to his business, and soon she's discovering the perks of the job: Italian food and chocolate cannolis. Since Tara can't resist the delectable desserts, she's hoping she doesn't gain too much weight before she nails Tino and his goons.

Tara and her fellow agents, including her boyfriend, Nick, have elaborate new identities created for them. Everyone has to be careful to pull off the scheme or they'll blow their cover and land up as a victim of Tino's. Tara soon learns that Tino's wife, Bernedetta, is a sweet, motherly lady who is beloved by her family. But how much does she know about her husband's true business? Meanwhile, Tara has taken on a side case investigating a travel company scam in the Dallas area. In between her assignment at the restaurant and the travel scam case, Tara is one busy woman. But as everyone who has ever read a Tara Holloway book knows, she always manages to win her cases.

Tara Holloway has a reputation as a hard worker who won't stop until the bad guy (or gal) is behind bars, or the IRS taxes them as required. She's a whiz with a gun and isn't afraid to chase a man down. After all, that is why Doc Martens are the perfect shoes for a woman on the go. Tara gains Bernedetta's trust and is soon delivering restaurant meals to Tino himself, but the man has built a fortress and they may need some techy stuff to help find out what he's up to. Meanwhile, Tara misses Nick in her bed, even as he is so near, but they need to keep up their new identities. But once Operation Italian Takeout is over, Tara plans to ambush Nick's body and keep him in bed for the weekend.

DEATH, TAXES, AND A CHOCOLATE CANNOLI is the ninth book in the Tara Holloway series and while they can be read as standalones, a new reader starting out might be a tad confused as to how Tara got her reputation as the sharpest shooter in the IRS. Check out Diane Kelly's website at www.dianekelly.com to find the list of the books in the series. But once you start reading a Tara Holloway tale, you'll be hooked. Tara is smart, quick on her feet and with her hands. She is the IRS special agent that you want on your side. Her relationship with Nick has grown throughout the series…could marriage soon be on the horizon, especially with her best friend Alicia about to be married?

The best part of DEATH, TAXES, AND A CHOCOLATE CANNOLI is all the fun readers will have reading the book, while the mouth-watering Italian food mentions leave you hankering for pasta…and chocolate cannolis!  Pure enjoyment to read while guessing at the clues right along with Tara, DEATH, TAXES, AND A CHOCOLATE CANNOLI is a tale I highly recommend.

Patti Fischer