Book Review: Swift Edge by Laura DiSilverio (Charlie and Gigi #2)

Stars: 5 out of 5

Pros: Fun characters, fast paced plot

Cons: None for me

The Bottom Line:

Missing ice skater

Must find before Olympics

Has action and laughs

This Book Swiftly Had me on the Edge of My Seat

I read the first of Laura DiSilverio’s Charlie and Gigi mysteries years ago.  I really enjoyed it so I rushed out…and read other books by Laura, which I also enjoyed.  I’m actually a little embarrassed that it has taken me so long to get back to the series with Swift Edge, but I’m glad I finally picked it up.

Charlotte “Charlie” Swift is a PI in Colorado Springs.  She has recently very reluctantly taken on a partner in the form of Gigi Goldman. Gigi’s ex-husband was a silent partner in Swift Investigations, and when he ran off, he just left Gigi their house and his interest in Charlie’s business.  Now Charlie is saddled with Gigi who is as much of a hinderance as a help.

Their newest client is Dara Peterson, an Olympic figure skater.  She needs Charlie to track down her pairs partner, Dmitri Fane, who has disappeared just days before the Olympic trials are set to take place.  No one else seems to be that concerned, especially since Dmitri has pulled something like this once before.  But as Charlie investigates, she is attacked and she finds someone she goes to interview left for dead in the middle of an ice rink.  Is Dmitri okay?

This is a fast-moving story with plenty of action to keep the pages turning.  I didn’t have all the clues put together until Charlie figured it out at the end, but I was quite happy getting lost in the action, including the suspenseful, and funny, climax.

These books definitely fall into the comedic mystery category.  There are some sequences that really only work in this series.  Like the climax, for example.  Most of the humor comes from Gigi, who has no experience as a PI, but is enthusiastic.  She causes some complications for Charlie that are very funny.

And yet she doesn’t come across as a one joke character, which would be easy to do.  She has some depth to her that makes us care for her.  The same is true of Charlie, of course.  Since Charlie narrates most of the book for us, we get to know her the best.  The rest of the cast is great, and fit perfectly into the world that is being built here.

While most of the book is first person, there are a couple of passages from Gigi’s third person point of view.  It’s easy to follow when we switched, and those scenes definitely add to the story.

This book just skirts the edge of cozies, with a tad more violence and language than a typical cozy.  We really are talking shades here, so as long as you know to expect that you’ll be fine.

Swift Edge is just as much fun as I remember the first in the series being.  I’ve got to get to the third one soon to find out what happens next to these characters.