Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Review of Death in a Hot Flash (Bel Barrett, Bk 2)

Death in a Hot Flash (Bel Barrett, Bk 2)
SierraK avatar reviewed on + 195 more book reviews


The River's Edge Community College faculty is shocked when the body of part-time professor and funeral director Vinny Vallone is found floating in the Hudson River. English professor Bel Barrett is especially shocked, since she is co-teaching a course with Vinny. At first, rumors are that Vinny may have committe suicide, but the medical examiner finds that Vinny was killed by a blow to the head. When one of Bel's students becomes a prime suspect in the murder, she and her sleuthing friends Illuminada and Betty decide to investigate, in order to clear Bel's student Henry.

Meanwhile, Bel has lots of other personal problems to deal with. Her father dies suddenly of a heart attack, prompting Bel to move her octagenerian mother to New Jersey to live with her. Plus, Bel's daughter Rebecca has a major accident and ends up in the hospital. Finally, Bel is constantly worried about her son who is living in a kibbutz in Israel. Did I mention that Bel is having trouble with the man in her life, too? In spite of all these diversions, Bel and her friends try to get to the bottom of Vinny's murder.

Bel and her friends are just delightful.