Jessica Beck seemed to have finally, albeit belatedly, tracked down his muse and reconciliation looks to be on the cards. Most things that were irritants in my opinion were minimized or transcended. Gone are the tedious exchanges between Suzanne and her mother. Almost gone is the ingratiating rhetoric that passes for direct speech in this series. Most of the events made sense. The author managed to find place for the heroine's boyfriend and best friend without losing his style and pacing. Not one of the supporting cast was overbearing. I was happy to have read Custard Crime, although like the main character's wares, this fare too is a guilty pleasure. ( )