THE HAMMETT HEX is book five in Victoria Abbott's very witty Book Collector cozy mystery series. Even though I'm addicted to this series, I was worried that I wouldn't like this installment as much, since most of Jordan's inner circle are not in this one. Happily, I loved reading THE HAMMETT HEX -- perhaps even more so than the previous book in the series. Book collector Jordan Bingham takes a holiday with Officer Tyler "Smiley" Dekker to San Francisco. The nebulous romantic relationship between Jordan and Dekker gets more defined in this story, but the many mysteries in THE HAMMETT HEX take center stage.

What starts out as a story with all the ingredients for a romantic idyll soon takes a turn toward the sinister. Victoria Abbott masterfully builds the suspense along with the level of danger to Jordan. THE HAMMETT HEX has some classic elements of a cozy mystery, but this is also a book that will get your pulse racing. The trip to San Francisco winds up being an opportunity for Tyler Dekker to reconnect with his estranged grandmother. At the same time Dekker and his grandmother are feeling the warm and fuzzies, shady characters galore erupt on the scene waving around guns, planting bugs, and destroying hotel rooms. I love how Jordan is a little bit Nancy Drew and a little bit Jason Bourne in this outing. Even though things happen in THE HAMMETT HEX that make Jordan feel out of her comfort zone, she definitely proves herself to be a clever and resourceful amateur female sleuth. Everything in THE HAMMETT HEX flows together nicely -- from scenes of masked intruders, missing dogs, and frantic wardrobe changes to heartwarming scenes of tea and cookies with grandma.

THE HAMMETT HEX has three things I love: San Francisco, Dashiell Hammett, and superlative storytelling from Victoria Abbott. This is a book that will hold cozy mystery fans spellbound. The specter of Jordan's Uncle Seamus and his exploits add to the slight film noir vibe that permeates the book. Readers familiar with this series will be very happy to know that Uncle Kev makes an appearance and brings his unique brand of chaos with him. The comical vignettes in THE HAMMETT HEX help to balance the suspense. I look forward to the next Victoria Abbott book.