ARC Review: Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man by Emily J. Edwards

Viviana Valentine Gets Her Man
Author: Emily J. Edwards
Series: A Girl Friday Mystery (Book 1)
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (November 8, 2022)

Description: Life as a secretary in New York just got tougher when Viviana Valentine’s boss goes M.I.A 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 missing 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 headline-grabbing life. Meanwhile, Lawson is itching to solve his murder case, and continues harassing Viviana for answers—until she’s the victim of a series of violent attacks.

But Tommy’s still missing, and Viviana is scared. As she 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 he doesn’t turn up D.O.A.

My Thoughts: When Girl Friday Viviana Valentine's boss Tommy Fortuna goes missing, it is up to Viv to keep his private investigator business going and deal with a troublesome client. Millionaire Tallmadge Blackstone has hired Tommy to follow his eighteen-year-old daughter Tallulah and figure out why she doesn't want to marry his 57-year-old partner Webber Harrington-Whitley. Doesn't seem like a tough case to solve!

But as Viv follows and hangs out with Tallulah, she learns a lot about her and her family. Viv is also dodging an ex named Sandy who got a little too handsy and doesn't seem to have gotten the message that Viv was finished with him. After finding a gravely injured man in Tommy's office and being attacked a couple of times herself, Viv has a lot of incentive to solve the crime especially as Detective Jake Lawson seems to want to pin it all on her boss Tommy.

The story was filled with 1950s slang, fashion, and mores. It was an engaging and entertaining mystery with a great setting and wonderful characters. Viviana Valentine is one smart cookie, and I look forward to reading more of her adventures.

Favorite Quote:

"Vital Records -- Birth, Marriage and Death."

"Hi, Madge. It's Tommy's girl Viv."

"Oh, hey, Viv. How can Hatch, Match, and Dispatch help ol' Tommy Boy today?"

I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.