In Other Words...Murder: Holmes & Moriarity 4

This is the fourth book in the series and, much like a fine wine, the series has improved with age. And that’s the nice thing about a series: the author has the time and luxury to let the characters mature and learn and just be. The story takes place four months after the events of ‘The Boy With the Painful Tattoo’ and we find Christopher Holmes and J.X. Moriarity enjoying domestic bliss. Of course, that comes to a screeching halt when Christopher gets a call from his ex David informing him that a body has been discovered in the backyard of his former home in Los Angeles. To make matters worse, David suggests the body is Christopher’s former assistant (who David ran off with) and accuses him of killing him. The cops soon appear and Christopher, once again, finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation. The difference here, is this isn’t his first rodeo and he’s actually been paying attention. The book is well-plotted and well-paced and there are some surprising (and pleasing) twists and turns in the relationship between Kit and J.X. We’re treated to the hilarous insanity that is Rachel Ving and we also see the return of an old frenemy. Lanyon (as usual) is at the top of her game with punchy dialogue, most notably Kit’s withering self-assessments and witty asides. Of course, J.X. gets his licks and quips in, too. However, the real revelation is Kit’s newfound self-awareness and restraint. I found the book to be an eminently satisfying read.