Friday 5 May 2023

Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man (Girl Friday #1) by Emily J. Edwards

Life as a secretary in New York just got tougher when Viviana Valentine's boss winds up dead in this debut historical mystery, perfect for fans of Susan Elia MacNeal and Frances Brody.

New York City, 1950. Viviana Valentine is Girl Friday to the city’s top private investigator, Tommy Fortuna. The clients can be frustrating, and none more maddening than fabulously wealthy Tallmadge Blackstone, who demands Tommy tail his daughter, Tallulah, and find out why she won’t marry his business partner, a man forty years her senior. Sounds like an open-and-shut case for a P.I. known for busting up organized crime—but the next day, Viviana opens the office to find Tommy M.I.A. and a lifeless body on the floor.

The cops swoop in and Detective Jake Lawson issues a warrant for Tommy’s arrest. Desperate to clear Tommy’s name, Viviana takes on the Blackstone case herself. When she goes out for a night on the town with the heiress, she begins to learn the secrets behind Tallulah’s life and loves—and discovers that the body in the office is none other than Tallulah’s betrothed. Meanwhile, Lawson is itching to solve his murder case, and continues harassing Viviana for answers—until she’s the victim of an attack by a group of goons hooked up with a gangster named Santino Napolitano, a.k.a. Tino the Conderoga. Tino’s connected to the death of Tommy’s brother, and now he’s trying to get to Tommy through Viviana.

But Tommy’s still missing, and Tino is still out for blood. As Viviana digs into the dirty history of the Blackstone empire, she suddenly realizes the true danger at hand. Now, it’s up to her to find her missing boss and make sure she doesn’t turn up D.O.A.  (Summary via Goodreads)



Viviana Valentine definitely gets her man and more in the first book in Emily J. Edwards debut book in her Girl Friday Mystery series !!

In Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man we are introduced to Viviana Valentine who is a secretary for a private investigator, Tommy, in the 1950's in New York City.  Viviana lives in a boarding house for women, loves her housemates, her boss, her city and her job !!  Unfortunately Viviana may be in over her head when she gets to the office one day and finds an unconscious unknown man in Tommy's office and her boss no where to be found .... and this is just after Tommy took on a new case following around the young daughter of a millionaire who specializes in diamonds.  

Tally Blackstone's father has arranged for her to marry his business partner who happens to be old enough to be her grandfather !!  Tommy is hired to follow her around in order to obtain blackmail information to insure that the marriage happens.  Unfortunately Tommy disappears, Viviana finds the unknown man in the office and she has become friendly with Tally by accident.

While Viviana tries to locate Tommy she also begins her own investigation into the unknown man and who he is plus she looks into the Blackstone's and their lives.  But someone doesn't want Viviana to solve the case when they break into the house and attack her as they flee the house.  This brings one of her least favorite people into the picture, Detective Jake Lawson. 

Even though Lawson decides to provide around the clock protection for Viviana and her roommates, the girls still find time to help her investigate the cases.  But Viviana may have bitten off more than she can handle when the cops can't even provide the protection required.

Readers will love this book and the story !!!  The way that Edwards writes the scenes will have readers feeling like they are reading a black and white film....you can hear and see everything and you will love it !!!  I high recommend adding this book to your to be read pile !!


 


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