The deeper Nichelle digs, however, the more dangerous her life becomes.  Suddenly, she's dealing with missing evidence, drug dealers, and a sexy Mafia man whose sudden appearances at her home make her heart race—in more ways than one.  Add to that a bitter rivalry with the office bimbo and a handsome new colleague whose intentions she can't quite figure out and Nichelle's got a lot on her shoulders.  Can her designer stilettos hold up under the pressure?  Will Nichelle live long enough to sort her business and nab the story of a lifetime?  Or will the examination of Nichelle's murdered body be the next item on the coroner's to-do list? 

I downloaded Front Page Fatality, the first installment in LynDee Walker's Nichelle Clarke mystery series, because it was cheap on Kindle (right now it's only $3.99).  If I had seen its original cover (above right), I would have kept my distance, but the new art plus a compelling plot summary made me want to give this one a chance.  I have to say, I'm glad I did.  The book turned out to be a very pleasant surprise.  I enjoyed the newsroom setting, which felt very authentic thanks to Walker's extensive experience as an investigative reporter.  Despite Nichelle's sometimes annoying fashion and shoe fetishes, I found her to be an appealing heroine.  She's confident, funny, tough, and determined.  Plotwise, Front Page Fatality doesn't offer anything outstanding or original; still, it's compelling.  I definitely wanted to know what was going to happen next.  It's not my favorite mystery series debut or anything, but I've already bought the next two books in the series, so that says a lot about how much I enjoyed Front Page Fatality.

(Readalikes:  Other books in the Nichelle Clarke series by LynDee Walker)

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