In GYPPED, the newest book in Carol Higgins Clark’s series of myseries, private investigator Regan Reilly is in Los Angeles accompanying her police officer husband, Jack, to a business-related conference. While Jack is engaged in conference activities, Regan tries to relax and enjoy herself in the luxury hotel where they are spending the weekend. But because she is who she is, relaxing isn’t really in her DNA, at least not when someone needs her help. And, of course, she (literally) runs into someone who does.

"The novel is filled with plenty of plot twists and subplots as any good mystery should be. It is also an entertaining, lighthearted read, and I look forward to catching up with Clark’s backlist and familiarizing myself more with her admirable protagonist."

While running errands, Regan bumps into Zelda, who she met many years before while the two were contestants on the game show “Puzzling Words.” Neither won the big money, but they formed a bond backstage while taping the program. Zelda has recently come into a great deal of money, and people she knows and trusts are trying to steal her blind. The problem is, Zelda isn’t even aware of what’s going on. She invites Regan to a party she is hosting that evening in a mansion where she is staying the weekend. When she gets sick after the party, Regan offers to spend the night with her and discovers that her fortune may be in jeopardy. Because she is a P.I. and Zelda is her friend, Regan offers to get to the bottom of the mystery and figure out what’s going on.

Zelda is bequeathed eight million dollars when an old lady who lives in her apartment building dies. She is pleased, but very surprised, as she never suspected the elderly woman had a lot of money, much less such a fortune. The widow, Florence Natalie, left the cash to Zelda because Zelda befriended her and helped her walk her dog and run errands for her when she was unable to do some things for herself. Some of Zelda’s friends who live in the same building feel a bit “gypped” that they were left out of the old lady’s will, hence the book’s title.

I had not read any previous installments of the series, so I was unfamiliar with the character of Regan Reilly and her background. However, Carol Higgins Clark does a good job of filling in the back story, so I was able to understand what was going on. The novel is filled with plenty of plot twists and subplots as any good mystery should be. It is also an entertaining, lighthearted read, and I look forward to catching up with Clark’s backlist and familiarizing myself more with her admirable protagonist.