Decorated to Death: A Simon Kirby-Jones Mystery by Dean James

                There is something about spring and home improvements.  So many projects are begun during this time.  Maybe it is because the warmer weather makes them easier to do.  At least it seems to in the state of Wisconsin.  I do not recall what season it is in the third Simon Kirby-Jones book, but there certainly are home improvements.  Depending on who you ask, it may be in more ways than one.            

                Lady Prunella has invited celebrity interior designer Zeke Harwood and his television show to her home to redecorate her drawing room.  At first this is very exciting.  Then Zeke arrives.  He is very rude, does not listen to what Lady Prunella wants, stages arguments, and gets killed in a locked room.  None of this was exactly part of the plan.  Of course once Zeke is found dead, Simon is called in to investigate.

                Simon does begin to snoop around, but while doing so he discovers a personal problem.  His vampire pills are not working as they should.  Some traditional vampire symptoms are starting to appear.  As he goes about his investigation, Simon struggles to keep the symptoms under control.  He has to figure out what is going on with his pills before something bad happens.   

                In the meantime, Simon has a murder to solve.  As much as he would hate to admit it, Simon must consider Lady Prunella a suspect.  It does not matter that she is his assistant’s, Giles, mother.  She is not, however, the only suspect.  Zeke alienated everyone around him.  He wandered around with his housekeeper, sister, producer, and an assistant.  Only the housekeeper, Moira, mourns Zeke.  This does not make her innocent.  Or does it?  That is what Simon has to figure out.

                On top of the investigation and vampire pill problem, Simon is dealing with Giles flirting with the producer, Cliff.  Simon is already battling his feelings for Giles and to see Giles give attention to someone else makes things more difficult.  Not all of Giles’ attention is with Cliff.  As he is Simon’s assistant and attracted to him, Giles spends time with Simon as well.  This makes Cliff jealous.  Quite an interesting triangle is created.  This becomes a square once the Detective Inspector Robin Chase enters the picture.

                These are such great mysteries. The stories are full of interesting characters and plot points. There is so much to figure out with each one. I may have said this before, but I really wish there was more than four books to this series.