Viviana Valentine Goes Up River (Girl Friday #2) by Emily J. Edwards

1950, New York. Viviana Valentine–Girl Friday turned partner to New York’s top investigator, Tommy Fortuna–is drawn into a sordid new case when Buster Beacon, a wealthy man of science, beckons them to a party at his mansion north of the city. There, Buster entertains blue-blooded friends as well as investors keen to make a dollar on the many advancements made in his home laboratory, but he’s been hearing strange noises in the night coming from his expansive estate, and he doesn’t know who to trust.

Once Viviana and Tommy arrive, the party is snowed in. And suddenly, there is a dead body and nowhere to hide. Who killed the disguised federal agent in their midst? And how have details from the top-secret lab become public? Once chomping at the bit to be brought into this mysterious life, Viviana wonders if she’s ready for the risks that come with the territory—risks that rise treacherously high as the killer targets the next victim.

Set in the gritty, noir world of 1950 New York City, Emily J. Edwards’s Viviana Valentine Goes Up the River packs all the elements mystery fans love: an irresistibly clever protagonist, a posh cast of heroes and villains, and a murder case that could defy even the most seasoned investigator.  (Summary via Goodreads)

Readers fell in love with Viviana and Tommy in Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man by Emily J. Edwards, the first book in the Girl Friday Mystery series and now you will fall head over heels in love with them again in the second book, Viviana Valentine Goes Up River.

In Viviana Valentine Goes Up River Viviana and Tommy are going to a mansion out of the city when they are hired by a rich scientist to come and stay as guests undercover.  Buster Beacon has been hearing strange and scary noises in his big house and wants to get to the bottom of them.  So Tommy and Viviana are invited along with a group of other guests for a weekend party.  Viviana and Tommy are undercover as an engaged couple but will be investigating the sounds.  Tommy has also brought in another person undercover so that they can work together to solve the case.

Unfortunately the party ends up getting snowed in and one of the group becomes ill.  It is soon learned that the gentlemen was poisoned and will die soon.  This ignites a fire under Tommy and Viviana to find out who is the murderer and why they killed him.

Even though Viviana and Tommy are not into science and technology, they jump into this case aggressively and posing as an engaged couple staying in the same room helps with their communication and they soon realize how comfortable they are with each other.

Readers cannot help but love this series and Edwards knows how to end the story leaving the reader wanting more....but we have to be patient and wait for the next book in the series.  And seeing how she left this second book, I can only imagine where things will go next and I am excited  !!!