"Death of a Trophy Wife" by Laura Levine: Book Review

"Death of a Trophy Wife" by Laura Levine
Kensington, 259 pp., $22
Reviewed by David Marshall James


Jaine Austen has followed in her namesake's (well, namesake sans "i") calling, eking out a living as a writer.

Although, the 19th century novelist never wrote about toilets, as the 21st century incarnation does.

Then again, maybe Jane-with-no-"i" would have written about toilets if she had had one. Nah, scratch that.

Speaking of plumbing, today's Jaine can't seem to get enough strawberry-scented bubble baths, enhanced by the simultaneous consumption of Chunky Monkey ice cream and/or Oreos. Now, Jane the First probably would have written about C.M. and Double Delights, had she had those.

It's the simple things in life that carry L.A.-based advertising copywriter J.A. through some of the more onerous tasks she takes on to keep herself in elastic-waist jeans and anything chocolate, and to put canned delights in her kitty's, Prozac's, dish.

Nevertheless, "Pro" would much rather have something brought home in a styrofoam "to go" box-- preferably, crab cakes.

Let's take inventory: a youngish lady (divorced), living with a cat in an L.A. duplex, into conspicuous calorie consumption and the daily crossword. How exciting can her life be?

Thanks to her next-door neighbor, Lance, Jaine's about to take on a new writing assignment (mattresses, for a change) and a fresh stint as an unlicensed P.I.

Lance has become the new GBB (that's Gay Best Buddy) of a hair-extensioned, chest-inflated, spendthrift second wife of L.A. "mattress king" Marvin Cooper.

However, Neiman Marcus shoe salesman Lance seems a much better match for Monolo lovin' Bunny Cooper.

Except for the plumbing.

Jaine gets swept up in Bunny's social whirl, via Lance, until a fateful fete where Jaine has a-- surprise-- plumbing disaster, and Bunny's dirty martini is spiked with weed killer. When Lance emerges as the prime suspect, because of his proximity to said cocktail just prior to Bunny's paws-up, Jaine tugs up her elastic-waist jeans and begins investigating.

Meanwhile, back in Tampa, Florida, Jaine's retiree parents are squabbling over her father's fascination with the latest infomercial speed-cooker and his hyper-serious competitiveness over the seniors' settlement cookoff. Seems Lydia Pinkus's Salmon Wellington takes the prize year after year, and Mr. A is out to Waterloo the champ.

California writer Laura Levine maintains a high mirth quotient throughout the latest volume in this just-for-fun series. Jaine makes a winning protagonist, even if her dance card isn't full. Well, she does have a one-sided (his side) love interest here, but Jaine's not about to relocate to Uzbekistan with his goat.

Not when she has a kitty, and some Chunky Monkey.


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