The Bad Always Die Twice by Cheryl Crane

When Nikki Harper heard about Rex March's death by airplane, she was sympathic. However, a few months after his funeral, she acquired a new client, Edith March. Edith wants to sell the monstrosity of a mansion she and Rex owned, and she wants Nikki to be her realtor.


Nikki is the daughter of golden age screen star, Victoria Bordeaux. She's wealthy in her own right and doesn't need to work, but she enjoys what she does. She and her partner, Jessica Martin, make their living selling real estate for the rich and famous.

So when Jessica calls Nikki late one evening screeching for help, Nikki rushes to help. Jessica had come home from a seminar and found Rex March's dead body in her bed. The cops want Jessica for the murder, her alibi isn't that tight. But Nikki knows Jessica is innocent. You can't kill someone who is alread dead.

Nikki decides to do some investigation work on her own to prove Jessica's innocence. Jessica has always had a thing about rich older men, so she isn't shocked when she finds out that Jessica had been seeing Rex before he died. She is, though, shocked that she kept it a secret. Nikki's mom urges her to question Edith and her new young boytoy, but there reaction to Nikki's questions are unusual.

As the clues become revealed, Nikki begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Who killed Rex March, not once, but twice? And why?

The Bad Always Die Twice is an entertaining mystery with a cast of spectacular characters. I really enjoyed Nikki's famous mother, she was pure entertainment who really was very insightful. Nikki's character was a delight, much like an onion, the layers were peeled away as the story progressed, giving the reader a deeper look into the way her mind worked and her heart. The writing was quick-paced and the plot unfolded at a steady rate, keeping me thoroughly entertained, turning the pages. I look forward to reading more from author Cheryl Crane and would love to read more about Nikki Harper in future works!