BOWLED OVER AMERICANO

In this cozy mystery, two New York state detectives try to solve a pair of cases while teasing readers about their romantic entanglement.

Sara Cain and Sean McKinley are homicide detectives with the Albany Police Department and work as a team. They are officially assigned the case of Aubrey Southgate, an investment adviser, who has been shot in what looks like a planned hit. But who did it? And why? Meanwhile, professional bowler Cliff Cunningham has been bludgeoned to death. Sara finds the body, but the case is assigned to the notoriously lazy and inept Det. Davenport. When Davenport decides, on little evidence, that Gladys White, Cunningham’s girlfriend and a pal of Sara’s mother’s, is the killer, the protagonists have little choice but to pursue that case off the books. These investigations involve quite silly undercover outfits and even the help of Cliff’s beagle, Magnum. The two detectives are determined to solve both cases. Aubrey’s death is a shocker but perhaps understandable. As to Cunningham’s murder, Sara and Sean attempt to get Gladys off the hook and find the real killer. In this engrossing series opener, Arnold is capable of some arresting phrasings: A police sergeant “gave the sirens life, and they wailed into the night air,” and “Sara peacocked her posture.” An enjoyable underlying story is the relationship between Sara and Sean. Clearly, they are deeply attracted to each other, but for some rather vague reason—having to do with APD policy—they are afraid to act on their feelings. Then Sean inherits a fortune—from a kindly millionaire with no family, a man whom the detective, always the mensch, befriended. Will good things follow? Arnold is a prolific writer and likely will be churning out these Sara and Sean mysteries for a long time. Some readers will wonder whether the appealing pair will become private eyes in a future installment, a Nick and Nora Charles for modern times.

An engaging double mystery with a cute couple fans will want to follow.