Murder at the Flamingo (A Van Buren and De Luca Mystery)

Murder at the Flamingo (A Van Buren and DeLuca Mystery by Rachel McMillan 485 pages

 

I love the cover of this book; it is what enticed me to read it. Set in 1937 in Boston, author McMillian paints a vivid picture of what Boston mut have been like, If only we could time travel!

 

Hamish DeLuca, originally from Toronto, has made his way to Boston to work with his cousin, Luca Valari, in the opening of the nightclub, the Flamingo. I can’t help it, when I hear flamingo used with a nightclub, I think Las Vegas, not Boston, so that was a stumbling block for me throughout the entire book.

 

Hamish was top in his class at law school and, thanks to his father, was set on a brilliant career path. Unfortunately, Hamish suffers from crippling anxiety and can barely make it through the trials he has been assigned. When he learns that his father got him the job as a “favor,” he heads to Boston to visit his favorite cousin. Luca takes him on as Hamish has a great head for business.

 

Meanwhile, Regina “Reggie” Van Buren has come to Boston to escape the humiliation of a marriage proposal she had no inclination of accepting. She also goes to work for Luca as his secretary and right-hand man, although she has no experience in either profession.

 

Hamish develops a love-interest in Reggie as the two learn to navigate a world where they are no longer rich and have servants to wait on them and Boston’s underbelly.

 

Reggie was my favorite character. She is a fan of the Nick & Nora/Thin Man detective series and is constantly referencing them.

 

The book gets off to a slow start and stays that way. There is too much detail. It’s more of a romance/cozy mystery, but I had to finish in order discover the murderer. This is a two-book series, but I won’t be reading the second volume.

Murder at the Flamingo (A Van Buren and DeLuca Mystery) gets 3 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.