When Hutchinson’s cousin Jeremy almost dies from an overdose and then lands in the psych ward, Zephyr traces the overdose to a long-term resident of the hotel, Mrs. Kimiko Hodges. She is not sure what is up and continues to investigate, surprised when the clues lead her to an egg-donor scam.

Zephyr is also dealing with the break up with her live-in Gregory over her not wanted to have children. Her friend Macy, a wedding planner, is on the verge of breakdown when her brides keep dying while on their honeymoons, and her friend Lucy is suffering in the suburbs after giving birth to twins.

Fast-paced and funny, Zephyr is smart and appealing and has a wicked sense of humor and, as one of her dates points out, has trouble editing herself when she talks. She drives her supervisor Pippa a little crazy as the investigation goes way off target, but Zephyr never loses sight of the goal. She is very skittish and shaken up over the break up with Gregory, and his reappearance to try and strike one last deal only ratchets up Zephyr’s irritation with him.

Readers familiar with Manhattan will appreciate all the insider references to the locals’ favorites, while others may find this detail a bit too much. The characters at the hotel are well drawn and very funny, as are Zephyr’s friends and her family. The characters and Zephyr’s wisecracking often overshadow the mystery, which is easy to lose track of with the fun detective.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry