Temple is also wrestling with several personal issues: her new fiancé, ex-priest cum radio personality Matt Devine, may want to relocate his bride-to-be to the Midwest and Temple’s former lover, Max, whom she thought long dead in the fight against terrorism, has turned up in Europe, sans most of his memory. Max thinks returning to Las Vegas, and Temple, will help recover more of his memory.  An Las Vegas police detective closing in on the Barbie Doll killer and the woman who is out to get just about everyone, Kitty the Cutter, round out this over-stuffed, often confusing plot.   

Louie plays the Greek chorus and helps sort everything out, which is sometimes necessary, but more often than not, repetitive and annoying.  He offers the exposition, recapping Temple’s life thus far for new readers, commenting on his books, complaining about the current book’s title . (It doesn’t fit the pattern of the alphabetical colors the series has followed since “B.”)  Chapters of plot are often followed by Louie’s take on events, while this is sometimes helpful, it is more often than not repetitive and slows down the plot when the humans return.  Feline fanciers may enjoy these lengthy asides, but many will wish fewer comments from the four-legged companion.  

Temple is a busy woman and has a lot on her plate, juggling it all well enough; though when all is said and done, she remembers what is really important to her.  The bright lights of Vegas mirror the often dizzying pace that may just be too much for some.                                                       

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry