Madison Night shares a birthday with Doris Day and that,
combined with her love of mid-century design inspired her
Dallas-based business, Mad for Mod. She sees a lot of
herself in the characters Doris played in her romantic
comedies but her attitude when it comes to business and her
personal life is all twenty first century independent woman.
When a man from her past appears and asks for her trust,
Madison is caught up in a mix of murder and the mystery of
rare $5,000.00 bills popping up all over town.
In another author's hands, this could have been a fairly
cheesy book with heavy-handed humor and too-sweet nostalgic
situations but Diane Vallere is too skilled to allow that to
develop. She has a wonderful touch, bringing in the design
elements and influences of the '50s and '60s era many of us
hold dear while keeping a strong focus on what it means in
modern times to be a woman in business for herself, starting
over.
Unlike the downfall of many books that slot into the cozy
mystery genre, Madison's connection to the main mystery does
not at all feel contrived. The plot of THAT TOUCH OF INK
fits smoothly into the series' story line about a 47-year
old woman building a new life for herself when a shadow from
the past threatens her new relationships, business and
otherwise.
I found THAT TOUCH OF INK a clever and enjoyable read,
especially for those of us who share the author's love for
the era. It was a perfect match for my summer mood, not too
light, and not too demanding, yet with characters and a
strong story that resonated with me long after I finished.
By the end of the book I was craving a Doris Day movie
marathon. Thank goodness The Glass Bottom Boat was being
shown on cable that weekend. THAT TOUCH OF INK is the
second book in the Mad for Mod series. I also highly
recommend book one in the series, Pillow Stalk. Diane
Vallere writes the Style and Error mystery series as
well.
When interior decorator Madison Night receives a five
thousand dollar bill in the mail, she knows it's a message
from her past. But when she discovers a corpse while trying
to learn of the bill's value, Madison suspects her former
lover wants more than a reconciliation. His actions belie
his intentions, and even a gallon of daisy yellow paint
can't hide the writing on the wall. Madison follows a
circuit of rare dollars and common sense and discovers a
counterfeit operation, a jealous lover, and the true value
of her independence.
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