Lauren Henderson's outrageous heroine, sculptor Sam Jones, heads off to Manhattan in this one for a show featuring young British artists. Self-described as "Miss Marple crossed with weedkiller", Sam is not entirely at a loss when she finds herself yet again involved in a murder investigation. In fact, she rather takes it in her stride. I like Sam's bit ... er, forceful, style and in-your-face attitude. She's not a character I can truly identify with (I feel even more staid and boring than usual in contrast after following her around for a few hours), but I'm crazy about her anyway. This is a series with a strong, original voice and lots of humor; THE STRAWBERRY TATTOO is another good one. I can't say I was entirely thrilled by the idea of a trip to Manhattan (I find London more interesting), but it worked for me.