Before long, Dorothy realizes that whoever killed Mayflower is chasing after Dorothy and Billy and aiming to kill them. When the man chasing them is found dead, all ends seem to be neatly tied up, but Dorothy isn’t satisfied and continues poking around and she finds that more than one person wasn’t always happy with the reviews they received from the acerbic critic.  

The premise of this series is an interesting one, and the historical characters are portrayed with authenticity; however, the use of William “Billy” Faulkner as a suspect is awkward as it is obvious he can’t be a serious suspect. 

Some liberties are taken with the timeline in the lives of the Algonquin Round Table members, though this is all explained in an afterward.  A romp through Dorothy Parker’s prohibition New York City is fun and the atmosphere is inviting, though the plot of the murder of Mayflower often takes a backseat to the rest of the action. It is fairly easy early on in the book to finger the murderer though the motive is not as clear. A fun read for those enamored of Dorothy Parker and her age, though a little light on who-dun-it for mystery fans.                                

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry