HEAVENLY PLEASURES

What do a mysterious new tenant in a Roman-style Melbourne apartment house and a case of sabotaged chocolates have in common?

Corinna Chapman has given up her high-pressure job to open Earthy Delights, a bakery where she labors each morning to turn out delicious treats and hearty breads. Along the way she’s acquired a teenaged helper in Jason, a recovering heroin addict whose muffins are to die for, and a friend and lover in Daniel Cohen, a handsome Israeli investigator who wants to save the world one person at a time. The newest tenants of her unique apartment house are a lady of taste and style and an ultra-private man Corinna suspects is of interest to the police. Suddenly two sisters who run a nearby chocolate shop beg Daniel for help finding the person who is sneaking chili sauce into their chocolates in an attempt to ruin their reputation. Adding to the confusion are a nasty messiah-type nut case; a bomb threat; a beating; and a girl who has gone missing from her job at the chocolate shop. Corinna’s old contacts in the financial world, Daniel’s in the criminal world and Corinna’s helpful fellow tenants all come up with clues that help bring the case to a satisfying resolution.

Down-to-earth Corinna’s second (Earthly Delights, 2007) is a congenial whodunit peopled by charmingly quirky characters and adorable cats.