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Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.

I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.

Today\\u2019s featured release is Objects of Desire.

TG Wolff Review

Objects of Desire is a PI Mystery. Two years ago, PI Rita Mars broke up with Diane Winter. It was loud and messy end to their relationship. Now Diane is missing and the note left behind points in Rita\\u2019s direction. Juggling a case of corporate embezzlement, Diane\\u2019s disappearance, and a mother with early dementia means Rita has to do a lot of juggling to keep the balls in the air and her butt out of jail.

Bottom line: Objects of Desire is for you if you like mysteries without murder, female-centric plots, and clean storytelling.

Strengths of the story. The second in the Rita Mars thriller series, Objects of Desire is listed as an LGBTQ+ Mystery and Women\\u2019s Detective Fiction on Amazon. I do agree with the genres of mystery and detective fiction, moreso than thriller. Rita runs her own PI agency and juggles two cases, keeping both stories moving forward. While there were implied threats to Rita from the police investigation, this was a subplot, which placed the mysteries front and center.

The characters of Rita, her assistant Beverly Hills, her best friend Mary Margaret Smooth, and IT wizard Roswell were comfortable in their roles, which reflected this being the second book in the series. Rita was a PI who relied on her team to extend her reach and resources. As compared to other PI characters, she runs a team and uses them to their strengths. The characters were both likable and interesting. Rita\\u2019s mother played the role of the comic relief with her sugar and Oreo obsession.

I have not read the first Rita Mars story but had no problem reading Objects of Desire. Webster did a nice job of giving new readers the information needed to jump into Rita\\u2019s world.

Webster\\u2019s storytelling style is clean, without cursing, sex, or on-stage violence. There is the implication and threat of violence but not actual depiction of, which makes this a great choice for readers who prefer classic mystery styles of Miss Jane Marple, Nero Wolfe, and others. On the spectrum of cozy to hard boiled, this is closer to the cozy end.

The financial mystery was well developed. While Rita developed the theories, the technical nature of the crimes meant that Roswell did more of the leg work than Rita. This worked to keep the story progressing while Rita worked on Diane\\u2019s case.

The kidnapping mystery was a straighter story. The biggest challenge here is there was nothing for Rita or the cops to start from. Rita had to return to PI gumshoe roots, working through all of Diane\\u2019s friends, acquaintances, and other exes to get to a clue that led somewhere.

This mystery is categorized as LGBTQ+ with the majority of the main characters being gay. Rita Mars and OBJECTS OF DESIRE stands as a solid mystery because of the plot, not because of the characters\\u2019 enduring attraction to the same sex. While being gay is central to Rita\\u2019s identity, much as being from Belgium was central to Poirot, it has no bearing on her capability as a PI. If you are a reader looking for a lead from the LGBTQ+ community, read Rita Mars. If you are a reader looking for a clean mystery with an intelligent PI, read Rita Mars.

Where the story fell short of ideal. Considering OBJECTS OF DESIRE as a mystery, there was a lot to like, as already mentioned, but I had a few minor items. I did think that the urgency of finding Diane was undermined by both the financial case and Rita\\u2019s mother, at times...'