She agrees to meet with pantyhose comic Dorcas MacKenzie about writing some jokes for Dorcas’s act that always end with Dorcas throwing handfuls of cut up pantyhose into the audience.  Jaine agrees Dorcas’s act is terrible, but finally says she will write jokes because ten dollars a joke is better than nothing.  Before Jaine can get to work, she goes to one of the shows to get ideas of how she can help the comic. Before Dorcas goes on, she is harassed by fellow comic Vic, who Jaine later learns is Dorcas’s ex.  Vic goes too far and Dorcas attacks him in the comedy club in front of a bar full of witnesses.  

Dorcas is adamant that she did not attack Vic later that night at home and strangle him with a pair of her trademark pantyhose.  Someone did, though, and someone wants Dorcas to take the blame.  Instead of writing one-liners, Jaine finds herself once again on the trail of a murderer, this time investigating sleazy managers and bartenders, venturing off into the world of adult movies.    Jaine doesn’t allow the seamier side of life to get in the way of finding Vic’s killer and clearing Dorcas’s name.

Jaine’s trusty sidekick, Prozac the cat, is like a snide Greek chorus at home, mostly concerned with when her next meal will be coming.  Jaine also receives dueling emails from her parents detailing her father’s new life of crime after her mother gives away his lucky shirt.  While Jaine is often sarcastic, she is also a true friend, and has a serious soft spot for Dorcas (though she can’t figure out why).  Jaine in turn has two friends who keep her grounded, Kandi (who has just hired an actress to play her in driving school) and Lance, her incredibly gay landlord who promises to help Jaine after a hair dying fiasco only to be turned all to mush by the guy who caused the day-glo orange.  

Jaine is also putting some effort into figuring out where she stands in her relationship with hunky banker Andrew who spends part of his working life in Germany and who attracts beautiful corporate women like flies to honey.   Funny and breezy, Death by Pantyhose is a quick read, one that shouldn’t be taken too seriously, but one that will keep readers laughing while Jaine works to free her new friend.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry