If you think your job is dangerous, try showing up for work and discovering a dead body. Then be under suspicion for the crime. What a way to start a day! That's what happens to Nicholas Palihnic when he's hired by an insurance company to find a stolen painting. And it goes downhill from there, if you can believe that. But then, since Nicholas is related to Garth Carson, taxidermy collector, it should be no surprise that trouble will cling to him and his signature tweed suit as it does to Garth and his stuffed creatures.

Everyone is tripping and scrambling over each other, Nicholas and the painting. But who can blame them? There are millions at stake. When you think you know who to trust and who's the rightful owner of the painting, bam, you're wrong and back to square one. The players are numerous and come and go in the blink of an eye. My favorites are the hockey playing brothers who remind me of a more active, talkative and, yes, modern version of Larry, Darryl and Darryl. And as for figuring out where the painting is, I thought I had it a few times, but Wiprud fooled me again with his artful suspenseful writing.

CROOKED is a funny, quirky mystery with just the tiniest bit of romance. Nicholas is lovable and seems to be able to charm his way into any woman's heart. But has he met his match with Mel? Hopefully, after Wiprud's re-release of SLEEP WITH THE FISHES he'll continue Nicholas' story.