In Book #2, The Last Fairytale, Cambria (Bree) Butler shelved her dream of becoming an investigative journalist long ago. But when she finds a young biotech executive dead on his office floor, she begins to think she might have another shot at it – even though she’s a suspect in the homicide investigation. Bree and her old college friend, Detective Gen Delacourt, begin a danger-filled quest to unravel the puzzle. The deeper they dig, the more truth about their own personal lives is revealed along with the dead man’s. They’ll both begin again after this is solved … if Bree makes it out alive.
Here’s an excerpt:
Garcia’s high cheekbones and olive skin hinted at native American blood. By the looks of the crow’s feet around his eyes, he’d passed his mid-thirties a couple years back. They also indicted that he smiled once in a while, although Bree had not witnessed it. He was neatly dressed, and the cuffs of his crisp white shirt were folded back to reveal forearms that looked as though he had the strength to throttle someone with one hand.
No ring. No jewelry at all, in fact.
The desk had been cleared since her last visit, revealing a battered metal Rolodex beside a mug of pens and pencils. His plain white coffee cup was lettered with the word Guadalajara. A vertical file cabinet behind him was topped with a framed photograph of an older couple in bright clothing. Parents? Friends? Beside it was a bulky canvas bag with heavy leather straps.
Despite her intention, she caved first and snapped at him with false exasperation. “Oh, come on. Not even ‘how are you?’”
The corners of his mouth turned up. “Since you’re here, I’m guessing you must feel better. Are the effects of your personal Friday evening nightmare fading?”
“Touché.”
“What brings you? Ready to confess?”
“Rats. The jig is up.”
“I thought so. So tell me how you did it.”
“I hoped you could explain that to me.”
“No can do. Autopsy hasn’t been done yet.”
“Why so long? I thought you’d be in a big hurry to find out.”
“There’s a slew of dead bodies in line ahead of Ducane. San Francisco is a big city filled with its share of deranged people who think murder is an option for solving a problem.”
“Ah. Jaded.”
“Part of the job description.”
“But you’ve established that Andrew was murdered?”
“It looked like a natural death, but the Medical Examiner is extremely curious to see if a foreign substance was introduced.”
“Introduced?”
“Someone may have slipped him something that wasn’t so good for him. Sure you didn’t bring the guy homemade cookies or something?”
“If I had, I would have offered you a snack that night, as well.”
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Reader reviews:
Olga says, “I just love this series… great storyline, wonderful characters, very well written … I can’t wait to read more about Gen, Bree, Oliver and the others. Once you start reading, you have to finish the book.”
Cinthia Ritchie says, “Greene has developed two strong and unusual female characters in freelance journalist Cambria Butler (Bree) and private detective Genevieve Delacourt (Gen). I say unusual because unlike many of the female detective books out there, Gen and Bree aren’t all bravado and tough-girl talk (and thank god for that, too). Instead, they’re vulnerable and unsure at times, sometimes hard and tough. It’s a compelling combination … it’s the characters that make this story.”
D.G. Kaye says, “This was a great read for those who enjoy reading crime/suspense with strong female leads. Molly’s ability to portray a story is captivating. Her characters are well-defined and her descriptions of places and characters are meticulously detailed.”
