The Trouble with a Hot Summer: A Simona Griffo Mystery

A vacation in fabulous East Hampton turns ugly after advertising legend Bud Warren asks Simona to investigate his wife's supposed suicide, which he is convinced was murder. A few hours later someone burns down Bud's waterfront home. Then Bud is found drowned. Was Bud's hunch about his wife, Polly, the reason for his murder? Or was the reason hidden in his burned-down house? Was Polly in fact murdered? There are enough questions to keep Simona and her new sleuthing partner, Dmitri K, running back and forth from the Hamptons to Manhattan. And too many suspects: Laurie Warren, who couldn't stand her mother. Steve, local bayman, who feels the Warrens cheated him out of valuable land. Bud's partner, Lester, who wanted control of the agency. Jim, restaurant owner, who is seducing Simona. Dodo, local eccentric, who spews regret and Lewis Carroll quotes, and Rebecca, famous painter, who knew Bud from another time. As fire rages across the Hamptons and Simona zeroes in on the murderer, she has to watch her step to stay alive.

A recipe for Cool Pasta is included.

"The mix of breezy vacation fun and somber matters of death, passion and art provides the tension needed to make this a sultry summer read."
--Publishers Weekly

"The Trouble with a Hot Summer is even better that Simona's last outing. This is a brisk mystery and a fun read, and Camilla Crespi is one hot writer."
--Richard Centner, Mostly Murder

"As is true with the earlier novels, Simona is fun to read about as are the different and interesting settings for each of her stories. For well-knit stories told in a humorous vein Crespi is right up there with today's best."
--Don Sandstrom, Mystery News

"Good beach fare, especially if you're headed to bonacker country."
--GraceAnne A. DeCandido, Booklist