Gilt Trip (Killer Fashion Mystery Book 14)

Diane Vallere

Mar 2023 · Killer Fashion Mysteries Book 14 · Polyester Press

About this ebook

Samantha Kidd has come a long way from her first case—but the danger isn’t over yet. When a new mystery threatens everything she’s built, this humorous cozy mystery challenges the amateur sleuth to uncover the truth before it all unravels.

A glamorous night. A locked ballroom. And nowhere to hide when everything goes wrong.

When shoe designer Nick Taylor is named a finalist for a prestigious industry award, Samantha Kidd goes all out—sponsoring a banquet table and inviting her closest friends and family to celebrate. But by the time the glittering evening arrives, tensions are running high. Old misunderstandings surface, tempers flare, and every one of Samantha’s seven tablemates has a reason to be upset with her.

Before the cash bar closes, the toastmaster is found dead—stabbed with a gilded knife.

A brutal storm traps the guests inside the ballroom and keeps the police from reaching the scene. With hundreds of attendees locked inside and emotions running hot, Samantha must investigate while managing damaged friendships, rising panic, and a rapidly closing window of time.

She has four hours to uncover the truth—before the killer strikes again.

Gilt Trip is book 14 in the Killer Fashion mystery series. Perfect for readers who love glamorous locked-room settings, fractured friendships, and a race against time where celebration turns deadly. Each book can be read as a standalone, but the series is best enjoyed in order.

Ratings and reviews

I Wish That I Had Been There! While this book is the 14th in the series, it can be read alone. I think that one would enjoy the series more if they read them in order, but it isn't necessary. Our heroine and her husband attend an awards banquet where hubby is supposed to get the top award. And, as always, things go wrong! The story is quite an adventure and the final denouement is surprising. It is a very good mystery that will keep you intrigued

This Samantha Kidd novel is one of my favorites! It is a locked room mystery (although there are a large number of people locked in,) which is one of my favorite tropes. There is a deep thoughtfulness to this story that makes it especially compelling, as Samantha is forced to face some hard truths about how others perceive her and how she sees her role in their lives. There is more than one mystery to be solved, and an interesting cast of characters to help (or hinder) the investigation. You can absolutely read this alone, but then you will want to go back and read all the ones that you missed! Samantha is hard to resist!

Always wonderful to be back with the great Samantha Kidd. Terrific Series. Love the mystery, the gorgeous Nick and the impulsive Samantha. Read it now!

About the author

National bestselling author Diane Vallere writes funny and fashionable character-based mysteries. After two decades in luxury retailing, she traded fashion accessories for accessories to murder. As past president of the national Sisters in Crime organization, she edited the Agatha-Award-winning essay collection PROMOPHOBIA: Taking the Mystery out of Promoting Crime Fiction. Diane started her own detective agency at age ten and has maintained a passion for shoes, clues, and clothes ever since.