Tess Monaghan is an unemployed reporter who survives financially by working part-time for various relatives. She is, by her own admission, a mediocre rower, but each morning she hits the river with her friend, Rock Paxton, for a rowing workout on Baltimore's Patapsco River. It's not that I found Tess completely unlikable, but as sleuths go she does not inspire confidence, nor do her personal values (she smokes pot and sleeps frequently with a former boyfriend who is now in a relationship with someone else) make her an appealing character.
Despite her lack of experience as a private investigator, Rock hires Tess to tail his girlfriend, Ava, an aspiring lawyer who works as an assistant to controversial lawyer Michael Abramowitz. Rock believes that Ava is in trouble and wants Tess to find out why. What Tess uncovers possibly plays a large role in Abramowicz's murder and Rock, due to his relationship with Ava, becomes the prime suspect. Rock's lawyer, Tyner, uses Tess to investigate further in hopes of clearing Rock's name, or at least finding enough evidence to cast doubt on his guilt.
I had very mixed feeling about this novel, but I will have to admit that Tess comes through with flying colors in the end. I have read that her inept investigative techniques do improve in future novels of this series and they certianly do get better as the story progresses. As a lead character she has a lot of flaws, but so do some of the best sleuths in popular crime literature. There is definite promise here.
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