Killer Cocktail by Tracy Kiely is the second book in the “Nic & Nigel” mystery series. Publisher: Midnight Ink, May 2016

Walking the red carpet at the Academy Awards with a bow-tied Bullmastiff draws Nic and Nigel Martini plenty of attention from the press. But that’s nothing compared to the attention they receive at the A-list after party, when Hollywood royalty learn that Nic and Nigel have discovered behind the scenes footage from A Winter’s Night, an acclaimed film known for backstage love triangles and the tragic death of its original star, Melanie Summers.

Returning home after the party, Nic and Nigel find their house in shambles and their employee DeDee Evans beaten within an inch of her life. And when the weapon used to pummel DeDee implicates beloved actress Christina Franklin, Nic and Nigel drink and banter their way into a modern-day version of a golden-era crime caper.

This was a fun and lively frolic in the land of Los Angeles with this lovable crime solving duo. The author has done it again, by creating a drama that continues to captivate me with the appearance of Nic, Nigel and the ever-loving Skippy who simply puts a smile on my face. I love the comfortable tone and the way each scene bridged one another that enhanced the telling of this story. The author was very astute at bringing all the key players together with incidences from the past and the present with each one nipping closer and closer to the killer’s identity. This well-written tale was both engaging and entertaining from beginning to end and I enjoyed all the scenes with Nic and Nigel, especially their own internal humor, but the one scene I enjoyed most was where a detective tried to out detect Nic. With a superb cast of characters and delightfully witty dialogue, this was a great read and I can’t wait to see what exciting adventures are in store for this clever pair of crime fighters.