This is the second Sigrid Harald novel, and I must say that I enjoyed this novel so much better than the first book, One Coffee With. I felt that Maron expanded on Ingrid's character in this novel. The characters are better developed, in relation to their relationship with Ingrid. Margaret Maron builds up the intensity in the search for the killer of Julie Redmond. A few loose clues point to various people involved in Julie's ending, but when Ingrid discovers the real killer the reader feels disbelief and sadness. Is this the real killer? Many of the characters wiggle into the reader's heart. Will these characters survive until the next novel, or will they disappear? ( )

First of this series for me: I will seek out the rest. Very interesting collection of characters that develop nicely over the course of this book. How about a butterfly as a gifted pet. Margaret Maron is a good storyteller. This book demonstrates her range in this NYC police procedural. ( )

In this second entry in the Sigrid Harald series, Maron fills in our female detective's personality a bit, and makes her more intriguing by showing us her well-guarded softer side in several moments involving children or teenagers. Harald investigates the death of a compulsively neat and orderly young single mother, who turns out to have been a right little schemer whose death will make life easier for several people, or at least for those of the group who did not bash her in the head with a decorative flat iron.

Synopsis: Friends feel that Sigrid needs a pet, so they give her butterfly larva. This sets the tone for the title of the book, and focuses attention on the 'butterfly' who is found dead in her apartment. While someone was observing her apartment during the time of her death, the culprit was able to get in and bludgeon the 'butterfly' to death.
Review: These are neat little mysteries with all the pieces accounted for and a clear explanation of 'who done it'. With all the clues in place, it's up to the reader to beat Sigrid to the answer. ( )

I enjoyed this book just as much and maybe more on this second (maybe third) reading. Lt. Sigrid Harald of the NYPD comes across as a very real person who may seem to be repressed to many. Actually she is a quiet deep person who is just now starting to unfurl her petals.

In this outing she is investigating the murder of a attractive young woman who at first glance had the appearance of a butterfly as she lay crumpled on the floor surrounded by a colorful wrap. Sigrid needs to find out what kind of a creature she really is before she can solve this murder.

The touches of feminism or anti male chauvinism set this story in a particular era that younger readers might appreciate even if they did not live through it. ( )