Selma Eichler created loveable and unusual private detective character Desiree Shapiro, an overweight lady who has no problems with her size. A little bit irreverent at times but always hysterical, Desiree takes us with her into her world of a tiny office, shady characters, sneaky dealings, frequent meals, and no guilt afterwards.
I’m pulled in two directions with these books. On the one hand, Desiree has a great personality and is a marvelous character. It’s high time that us women of generous proportions found ourselves represented in a positive light by a woman of size and yet strength. On the flip side, the plots fall just slightly short of the mark. They’re entertaining, no doubt, but I felt they could have been tightened up just a bit.
The books in this series are:
“Murder Can Kill Your Social Life” (1995)
“Murder Can Ruin Your Looks” (1996)
“Murder Can Wreck Your Reunion” (1997)
“Murder Can Spook Your Cat” (1998)
“Murder Can Singe Your Old Flame” (1999)
“Murder Can Spoil Your Appetite” (2000)
”Murder Can Upset Your Mother” (2001)
“Murder Can Cool Off Your Affair” (2002)
“Murder Can Rain on Your Shower” (2003)
“Murder Can Botch Up Your Birthday” (2004)
“Murder Can Mess Up Your Mascara” (2005)
“Murder Can Run Your Stockings” (2006)
and the brand new release — “Murder Can Depress Your Dachshund” (2007)
You will find a small amount of swearing here and 
there, as well as mention of a relationship with a boyfriend, but nothing I found offensive. Again, if you’re a sensitive reader, you’ll want to leave that to your own discretion.
Despite my concerns about loose plotting, I enjoy this series and plan to finish it. Look for it at your local library and see what you think.
(Selma Eichler’s publisher is Signet.)
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