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See Isabelle Run

by Elizabeth Bloom

Elizabeth Bloom's has written books featuring a male protagonist, Alex Bernier, under another name. Evidently this is her first book with a heroine, and if it's any clue to future work, she's more than welcome to the field. See Isabelle Run is not only well written, it's a prominent, glittering gem in the necklace of murder mystery titles. Elizabeth Bloom has already been compared to Janet Evanovich – and while I disagree (Janet's totally oddball humor isn't found in this novel), See Isabelle Run is a very entertaining story, provocative, fascinating, and set with realistic characters in New York City. New York, in addition to being this author's home ground, is one of those places where anything can happen - and usually does. If the photograph on the back of the dust jacket is any indication, Ms. Bloom is not only talented and imaginative, but young enough to be a living stand-in for her fictional heroine. We'll look forward to more from this accomplished author.

Isabelle Leonard has been jilted – left at the altar by a groom who evidently preferred her maid-of-honor. Does she weep and wail? No. She plunges ahead by using what was to have been her wedding reception as a headline-making party where she dances on the table in her bridal outfit. Unfortunately, when the party's over, Isabelle realizes she's now stuck with an apartment she can't afford, no furniture, and no job.

No job, that is, until she suddenly finds herself employed by Becky Belden Multimedia – a multi-faceted, powerful, wealthy organization built by America's favorite homemaker, Becky Belden herself (shades of Martha Stewart!). Becky is tiny, attractive, bubbly and enchantingly curious about anything related to the home or human problems. She claims her organization – located in one of New York's soaring skyscrapers – is a family, and evidently takes personal interest in every individual included in her vast empire.

But Isabelle discovers that perhaps not everything is all sweetness and light in the Becky Belden 'family'. There seem to be more than the usual number of accidental deaths, and one completely baffling disappearance. She becomes suspicious, then totally confused – especially when one of the radio show's top VIP's begins to court her, and she discovers he may well be involved with all the 'accidental' deaths in the organization.

Another participant in the story is the blond man who seems to appear everywhere, and when Isabelle is almost murdered herself, she understands she's been added to the growing list of 'accidental' deaths. Increasingly fearful, Isabelle determines to discover the cause behind this group of unexpected terminations, and manages to locate the person who disappeared. He tells her some startling things. But as soon as she leaves him, along with the new information she's achieved, he's also murdered.

Frantic, Isabelle runs to Becky herself with the additional information. The resulting situations form a culmination of all preceding events – enough to turn both Isabelle and the reader inside out and upside down. Nothing is what it seems. I don't know which mystery authors Elizabeth Bloom has read, or who her idols are, if any – but not too many former journalists are capable of novel endings like this.

Do yourself a favor and read See Isabelle Run. You won't be disappointed.

Alan Paul Curtis

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