Title:	Murder Buys a One-Way Ticket
	Author:	Laura Levine
	Published:	June 25, 2024, Kensington Books
	No. of Pages:	228
	Cover Price:	$27.00 Hardcover, $13.77 Kindle

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Whenever I get burned out on serious and suspenseful thrillers, I turn to cozies, and especially Laura Levine’s humorous novels in her popular Jaine Austen series. I recently picked up the 20th installment, Murder Buys a One-Way Ticket , and laughed all the way through. Jaine Austen, who is a free-lance writer, gets a job ghostwriting a fitness book for a wealthy gym owner, Chip Miller. He insists she (and her cat, Prozac) go on a private train trip with him and his staff, and discovers that he is a narcissistic jerk who treats everyone terribly and hires and fires constantly. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), Chip is murdered during this trip and Jaine discovers the body. Since she is the prime suspect, she goes into sleuthing mode to discover which of Chip’s staff has a motive to kill him. That turns out to be everyone. Jaine works to narrow it down so that she isn’t a suspect.

Laura Levine’s trademark is humor. Jaine, the protagonist, can’t resist food – Oreos, chips, dessert, etc., and has the hips to prove it. Levine weaves Jaine’s food cravings and fantasies throughout, and they are not only humorous, but mouthwatering. Jaine is also looking for a companion, and gets herself into trouble going after one of the waiters on the train, Sean, who is in love with her cat, Prozac. Prozac always finds a way to throw Jaine under the bus during ill-fated dates with suspects for anyone who gives her attention.

Levine does an excellent job of developing the characters – readers will love them – and also weaving a good story. She includes emails from her parents in Florida, which are fun, and subplots with her gay neighbor, Lance.

All told, anyone who needs cheering up or to laugh, will want to pick up this fast read.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.