In her first night in the hotel, Robin is visited by Nadia, a young Plotzonian national who claims to be meeting her fiancé with whom she is eloping, a young man, Rocky, that Robin assumes is Nadia's betrothed, and a sleazy art dealer, Gerald Woznik, who knocks at Robin's door, utters something that sounds like the word "boy" and drops dead just inside the door. Gerald is not Robin's first dead body, but she is less concerned with who killed him than locating Nadia who has vanished and reuniting the two young lovers.

Robin begins tracking down clues as she interviews Tamayo's eclectic group of friends and acquaintances, most of whom have their own eccentricities, but all of whom seem to have also known Nadia, and many of whom have just seen her. Nadia claims to be running from her family and an arranged marriage she is no longer willing to participate in.

Oddly enough, though, as Robin questions those who may have had contact with Nadia, all answers seem to come back to Gerald Woznik and a possible baby that Robin again makes some incorrect assumptions about. Robin's inquiries are all dampened by the fact that one key to both puzzles seems to be Maggie Mason, a young woman who blames Robin for her break up with a long time lover and who has been seeking vengeance, playing very nasty tricks on Robin for many years.

is a definite chick book. Robin is a tough, take-nothing-from nobody, single woman who has been living on her own in New York City for many years. She is a feisty heroine who, though she has been burned by men before, still has a very romantic spot, one that sometimes clouds her judgment, but one that has not lost hope for her own true love one of these days. The characters Robin encounters are very vividly described and though they may appear to be caricatures, offer another layer of texture to the atmosphere. The rich and varied history of the Chelsea Hotel, some true and some stretched, is woven neatly into the novel, adding another interesting dimension.

Slowly, the murder investigation takes a back seat to the search for Nadia and the secrets she holds. Both puzzles are entertaining, although there are moments that seem as if they are tongue in cheek, and why Nadia is never considered a serious suspect when she disappears right after the murder may bother some. Tales of a near disastrous overseas tour that Robin took for work are interspersed, offering another side of Robin, and a possible job change offers the possibilities of romance and a new adventure for Robin in a new, exotic location. Sparkle Hayter offers a modern day, tough talking yet sensitive character that will appeal to those looking for a new, refreshing voice.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry