Showing Revenge of the Cootie Girls by Sparkle Hayter

Sparkle Hayter considers herself a mystery writer, and while there is a mystery at the heart of Revenge of the Cootie Girls (a reference to the unpopular kids in junior school), it's often fun to ignore that fact. Taking place over a long Halloween night, Hayter's third book delves deeper into the life, loves, friends and career choices of Robin Hudson--a TV reporter-turned-producer with an unhealthy interest in murders, a great love for practical jokes, and a modern woman's struggle to grow up without turning into too much of an adult. Returning from a conference, Hudson is looking forward to a short night out with the girls and a romantic weekend. That wouldn't make for much of a mystery, so Hayter starts mucking about: first Hudson's intern fails to show up, though it looks like she might have found something more interesting to keep her occupied. Then what looks to be an elaborate PR stunt, centred around Hudson, starts to get a little too personal; a strangely familiar dead body shows up and Halloween shapes up into a night for more than a little trick-or-treating. Quickly paced, Hudson's--er, Hayter's- -romp through New York City is a witty, enjoyable slice of modern life, as heavy with pop-culture references as it is with some surprisingly straightforward insights into the nature of romance, friendship and maturity. Though the mystery turns out to be more convoluted--and ultimately, less satisfying--than it might've been, Hayter's pacing and characters are enough fun that it's of little bother. --Randy Silver