No one is more surprised than Benny Needles that his house went up in flames; all of his precious Dean Martin memorabilia was destroyed; and that they found a dead body. Benny had been away with friends, and when he returns home, he’s devastated about his collection – ‘Dino stuff.’ Peri Minneopa is a PI and also a friend of Benny’s. She’s the first person he turns to when he needs someone to investigate what happened. Benny wasn’t very organized, so Peri needs to locate his insurance policy first. When she finds it and contacts them, they deny he ever had a policy. Digging into the matter only causes the danger level to increase. And, whose body had been found inside his house?

This is book 3 of the Peri Minneopa Mystery series set in southern California. I read it as a standalone, which worked well as I didn’t feel I was missing any information. Benny is an oddball (but a lovable one). He’s described as a “full-time needy little man with a big obsession with Dean Martin.” The story moved at a rather quick pace although we do get slowed down a bit by the author’s description of Peri’s meals, and she actually eats a lot. Her personality is relatable and very likable. I’d describe this series as cozy mysteries; there’s no offensive graphic information. There is a bit of romance as she’s been with Detective Skip Carlton for ten years. He’s also involved in the investigation. I rated The Hot Mess at 3.5 out of 5. ( )