While catering a posh affair, Faith runs into prep school classmate, Emma Stanstead, who has married a rich and powerful man with political ambitions. Emma is being blackmailed and is afraid that when certain secrets are revealed, her husband will be ruined, and with him, Emma's new, comfortable life.

Emma turns to Faith, who Emma sees as having it all together, despite Emma's outward success and status. Faith feels sorry for her friend, and coupled with a sense of loyalty, agrees to help Emma find whoever is threatening her. When a dead, reclusive writer turns out to be linked to Emma, Faith realizes that there may be a lot more at stake than she thought. Little does Faith expect, that along the way of helping a friend she will acquire a new hobby (sleuthing) and a new husband.

While the mysteries in this book are straight forward and easy to solve, the book goes a long way to character development. After nine mysteries, Faith Sibley Fairchild has earned many fans who will be more than happy to learn where she comes from first hand. Katherine Hall Page has recreated the lavish late-eighties very well and readers will find themselves transported over ten years ago, in a much different setting than they normally find Faith - as a single woman in New York City, rather than as a respectable married woman in new England. Manhattan at Christmas time is an especially wonderful season, captured here for all who have never had a chance to experience it first hand.

A selection of recipes at the end of the book preport to be part of a cookbook "Have Faith in Your Kitchen…a Work in Progress" that many readers would be glad to see as a reality someday. The Body in the Big Apple is a wonderful prequel to a delightful series, and a glimpse at a most engaging heroine's past will have readers looking forward to more visits with Faith in the future.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry