Poison Is the New Black
With Bonus Story: Taste of Christmas
By: Chelsea Field
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
Izzy and Connor get a bit closer in their relationship. Izzy and her elderly neighbor gets her involved into a murder mystery that ends up almost getting them killed. Great characters and plot.
Witty, clever, and fun.
Narrator is just right for these books! ( )

Poison is the New Black, by Chelsea Field, is an outstanding addition to the wonderful Eat, Pray, Die Humorous Mystery series! (I've reviewed the rest of the series on my blog — Book 1, Eat, Pray, Die here; Book 2, The Hunger Pains here; and Short Story 2.5, Taste of Christmas here.) The main character, Isobel "Izzy" Avery, is an undercover poison taster for the rich and powerful in Los Angeles. While Poison is the New Black can be read as a standalone, Author Chelsea Field's tales of Izzy's poison taster training [Book 1], first big case [Book 2], and Christmas romancing (with Connor) and sleuthing [#2.5] are so interesting, and so much fun to read, that I urge you to read all four in order.

Poison is the New Black begins the day after Taste of Christmas takes place, and four months after Eat, Pray, Die. Izzy, a "shade" (aka poison taster) for the Taste Society, has been assigned to protect Vanessa Madison, president of LA's upper-crust WECS (Westside Elite Charity Social) Club, for seven days.

The WECS Club's most renowned annual fundraiser, a calendar featuring photos of twelve of its members, is about to take place. These are not just ordinary photos, however. These photos are "tasteful, artistic, sensual" — and nude, with strategic draping. The competition to be chosen as a calendar girl for the WECS calendar is intense. To be judged one of the twelve, the WECS members will resort to sabotage and poison. This is why Vanessa hired a Shade to

ensure not a pimple or rash marred her skin, that her body didn't retain water, and that her digestive system stayed in excellent health.

WECS club members, including Vanessa, send their children to the Frederick Academy, a prestigious and elite private school. Scholarships allow a few academically qualified students to attend, who otherwise couldn't afford it. One of these scholarship students is Joy Black, daughter of Abraham Black ("leg-breaker" for a loan shark) who was introduced in Eat, Pray, Die.

When a murder occurs, Mr Black appears, to the police, to be the likely perpetrator. Izzy's neighbor Etta asks Izzy to help her prove that Mr Black is innocent. The victim has ties to the WECS club and Frederick Academy. Izzy and Connor have to figure out if those ties are enough for a motive (and a motive for whom?) or if the murder is totally unrelated.

I was correct in my suspicions about whodunit, but was surprised about whydunit. Can you figure out whodunit, and why, before they do?

Author Chelsea Field has taken a virtually unknown profession (poison tasting) and used it as the fascinating basis for a great humorous mystery series. The characters she has created are well-rounded, relatable and likable (well, except for the ones who are supposed to be disliked). In Poison is the New Black, Ms Field makes even Mr Black someone I really cared about.

I really enjoyed my latest visit with Izzy, her neighbor Etta, her flat-mate Oliver, her sweetheart Connor, his mother Mae, his sister Harper, the Black family, and Meow & Dudley. Poison is the New Black is a quick, fun read, with plot twists & turns and many humorous moments. The climax is exciting, with an unexpected rescue. The ending hints at an unlikely partnership between two of the secondary characters, which I am hoping will be developed in the next book.

I highly recommend Poison is the New Black to all fans of humorous mysteries, especially fans of Chelsea Field's other mysteries, and to those who love a madcap mystery.

I absolutely loved Poison is the New Black, and hereby award it the top ranking of Five Stars!


Note: I received an advanced review copy of Poison is the New Black, and voluntarily reviewed it. All opinions shared are 100% my own.

Originally published on my blog at Jane Reads. ( )