Death of a Songbird by Rosemary Harris is a short story that prequels the “Dirty Business” mystery series. Publisher: Chestnut Hill Books, February 2014

Death of a Songbird is a short story that introduces Wanda “Babe” Chinnery, one of the main characters in the Dirty Business mystery series – 20 years before she meets Paula Holliday in the Agatha and Anthony Award-nominated Pushing Up Daisies. In 1985, long before she owned the Paradise Diner, Babe was a back-up singer. When one of the other members of the group, the Songbirds, dies suddenly, Babe and one of the band’s roadies head off on his Harley to find the girl’s family and learn that none of them ever really knew the girl at all.

I like it. This was very enjoyable, to see what Wanda’s life was before she appeared in Rosemary Harris’ “Dirty Business” series. It gave me a better perspective on who she is and who she became and with that I want to re-read all of the books in the series.