Accessory to Murder

i usually don't like madcap or screwball mysteries. too many rely on characters whose level of stupidity would embarrass one-cell life forms. but i have read two of wilson's millinery mysteries and enjoyed both of them. of course, the fact that i am a frustrated hat-wearer and frustrated would-be milliner has nothing to do with my enjoyment.while the reader may need to suspend disbelief rather further than usual over the initial plotting, the storyline follows logically from the first situation. the characters are 'realistically' eccentric, in that they may have massive foibles, but they are not totally disassociated from reality or pathologically self-involved. the dialogue is good, and there are genuine chuckles and even an occasional guffaw to be had.i also enjoy the way new york city is presented, as a place to live, with decent people, and not the sodom-and-gomorah, criminal-controlled horror its too often represented as.the brenda midnight mysteries may not plumb the psyches of its characters or address major social issues, but when you want a cosy romp with laughs, they're a good choice. and they have hats.

This detective has learned the ways of NYC like a trained sociologist (or is it anthropologist). Whichever, it was a joy following her antics.Having once lived in Greenwich Village I found the mood and detail a delightful reminder of days past. The mystry part was acceptable (I think I'm getting a bit old for them) but the confusions and detail of the hero's life made me yearn for her next travail. This detective is funny, in an after midnight kind of way.The 'change' scene provided one good guffaw. And there were several others.What's next for our darling gumshoe? And does she really run a hat shop? END