Novels Now

When I stepped out of the elevator, though, I started to freak. Quietly. To myself. Because the big, bald, tattooed guy in the sleeveless jean jacket was leaning against a concrete pillar about halfway to my car. [excerpt from The Missing Ink]

The Missing Ink by Karen E. Olson
Obsidian Mystery, 2009 (ARC)
Crime Fiction (M); 299 pgs

My father used to tell me that when I turned 21, he would take me Reno, Nevada. It’s a good thing I did not hold my breath because it never happened. I still haven’t made it to Reno. I did, however, make it to Las Vegas. Only not with my father. My first visit there was with my boyfriend-now-husband for a friend’s wedding. We stayed at Circus Circus and had fun playing the arcade-like games (Skee-Ball was a favorite) and watching the free circus acts performed nonstop throughout our stay there.

Even though we have never been interested in gambling or spending hours on end in the smoke-filled casinos, there is something about Las Vegas that attracts us there still today. One of the best views of the city is driving up to it, seeing it rise out of the desert like a huge funky oasis. During our last trip to Las Vegas, my husband and I did not stick to the strip, the most famous part of the city. Rather we explored the back streets and other parts of town that are lesser known. It’s just a regular city like any other, really.

As much as I enjoy reading about places I have never been and may never go, I also take pleasure in reading books set in places I have traveled to. While I would have read The Missing Ink for the very reason that it is written by one of my favorite crime fiction authors, the Las Vegas setting made it all the more appealing.

Brett Kavanaugh is a tattoo artist who owns her own tattoo parlor, The Painted Lady, a classy joint that is nestled in an upscale shopping center. I instantly took a liking to Brett. She’s smart and witty, not to mention a bit gutsy. She lives with her brother who is a homicide detective with the Las Vegas Police Department. Having both just come out of bad relationships, it is the perfect arrangement. I enjoyed the easy banter between the sister and brother. They make a good team, even if the detective doesn’t quite see them as such. It’s obvious they love and respect each other.

In the first installment of this tattoo shop mystery series, Brett becomes especially curious when a police officer asks her if she has seen a missing woman. Brett, valuing her clients confidentiality, at first does not admit to anything. The woman had, in fact, been to her shop and requested a devotional tattoo, only the name she wanted on the tattoo would turn out not to be that of her fiancé’s. Brett decides to ask a few questions to see if she can find out more about this mysterious woman. She ends up in the middle of a murder investigation when a woman’s body is discovered and the police’s prime suspect takes her into his confidence.

Author Karen E. Olson’s latest novel is just a tad less gritty than her last series, but by no means less entertaining. She has created a cast of colorful characters who make the perfect sidekicks. From the gentle but tough looking Joel who can’t resist a doughnut to the small Bitsy who shouldn’t be underestimated despite her size. Then there is the elderly Sylvia, a pioneering female tattoo artist, who I hope to see more of in future books. And I dare not leave out the charming and ever sexy Simon Chase, to whom there is more there than meets the eye.

Just as interesting as the characters is the mystery itself. It was like being in a car chase, with quick turns and heart racing moments. This is one of those books where the obvious may be just that—obvious—while at other times, nothing is quite what it seems. What makes it works all the better is that, as the reader, I was never quite sure which was which.

The Missing Ink is a great start in a new series by author Karen E. Olson. It is fun and fast paced. It makes for great summer reading. And if ever I decided to get a tattoo in Las Vegas, I would head straight for The Painted Lady.

Rating: (Very Good +)