Joanne Pence. Bell, Cook and Candle (2002) 336 pp. [pbo]
After numerous false starts, plenty of failures, and quitting several times out of boredom, Angie Amalfi has finally found a business that she does well and that people appreciate. “Commercial Cakes” is doing so well that Angie barely has time to sleep. This frustrates her boyfriend, SFPD homicide detective Paavo Smith, who after much deliberating, has finally worked up the courage to ask her to marry him. Every time Paavo begins to propose, Angie is distracted, called to the phone, or falls asleep. She ends up hiring two employees who are into the Goth scene while Paavo is working on a serial killer case involving Goths. He doesn’t know how, but based on experience with his beloved, Paavo expects Angie is going to become involved in his case even though he hates it when she places her life in danger.

H.K.