AGNES AND THE HITMAN - Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer
A Perfect 10
St. Martin's Press
ISBN-10: 0-312-36305-2
ISBN-13: 978-0-312-36305-2
September 2008
Romantic Suspense

South Carolina – The Present

Food writer Agnes Crandall writes the Cranky Agnes column. Her writing led her to friendship with former mobster, Joey, and to her fiancé, Taylor.

Once associated with the Fortunato mob family, Joey now runs a small diner. He was Agnes’s inspiration to write Mob Food. Agnes plans on writing a book with Taylor, an up-and-coming chef. Together, she and Taylor purchased Two Rivers, an aging manor in Keyes where the Blood River meets the Intracoastal Waterway.

They purchased Two Rivers from Brenda Fortunato, widow of Frankie Fortunato. Agnes views Brenda as a mother. It's a special deal. Agnes thinks of Two Rivers as her home. Plus, if she plans Brenda’s granddaughter's wedding, three months of the mortgage will be considered paid. As Maria’s godmother, Agnes is pleased to do this. Her best friend is Maria’s mother, Lisa Livia. She met Lisa Livia at fourteen when they were in boarding school. It was Lisa Livia who first invited Agnes to Two Rivers. It is the perfect place for Agnes to write and for Taylor to start a catering business. So why is Brenda now trying to move the wedding to another location?

Agnes never expected to find someone in her kitchen threatening to steal her bloodhound. She deals with this intruder by throwing hot raspberry sauce on him followed by a blow from her cast-iron skillet. He falls backward through the wall -- hitting where a wall papered-over door gives access to a basement. The fall kills the intruder, a bad situation, as the fry pan is Brenda’s weapon of choice. Her previous use led to probation, community service, and anger management with psychologist Dr. Garvin. She still has ongoing mental conversations with the doctor.

Worried for Agnes, Joey contacts his nephew, Shane. Shane works for the government, as a hit man. He agrees to protect Agnes. It’s needed -- there are three more intrusions at Two Rivers.

AGNES AND THE HIT MAN is no ordinary romantic suspense novel. All of the characters, both good and bad, are totally engaging. The story is tense, tight, and hilarious, with more complications than Agnes’s pancakes have pecans. All of which earn it a Perfect 10. So pick up AGNES AND THE HIT MAN; turn to page one, and prepare to enjoy a delectable treat.

Robin Lee