Five Star First Edition Mystery - Fit To Die

Lauren Prescott is fifty, fat (according to her husband) and flat broke after he leaves her. To land a magazine job, Lauren writes a profile of a fitness guru who died while jogging - a death that looks increasingly suspicious the more she probes. Her search for her missing husband reveals unexpected criminal secrets. Lauren must decipher the brutal reality behind the two men's public facades, unaware that the killer also has a deadline - for her murder.

Karen Hanson Stuyck is the author of three previous mystery novels. Her short stories have been published in Redbook, Cosmopolitan, Woman's World and other magazines. She has a grown son and lives in Houston with her husband.

You wouldn't think this would be an especially good novel, and you'd be dead wrong. The story sounds dull and derivative: middle-aged Lauren Prescott has just been dumped by her husband, a dentist, who empties their bank account, closes his practice, and leaves town without a word of explanation. Looking for a way to support herself, Lauren seeks work at a local magazine, where the editor auditions her by asking her to write a profile of a fitness guru who has just died (while jogging, no less). Murder and mayhem ensue. Despite its generally familiar air, the novel is stylishly written and genuinely suspenseful. Even though the story itself has a by-the-numbers feel, Lauren is a likable protagonist, and readers will have a good time watching her fumble her way through a maze of involving suspicious characters and shadowy motivations. Another Lauren Prescott adventure would be most welcome, especially if Stuyck could favor us with a slightly fresher plot. David Pitt
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