Poison Ivey by Misty Simon
Draumr Publishing, May 2005
 1933157054
Reviewer: Kim Robinson

Ivey lived in Southern California all her life and had never left her parents home, and when her mother died, she cared for her father. Her sister’s Daisy, Rose and Magnolia had long since flown the nest for marriage and a life of their own. She longed to get out into the world herself, but could not afford it, - until one day a letter came from an attorney in Martha’s Point Virginia. It seemed that her Aunt Gertie had passed and in her will she left Ivey the two things in the world that she valued the most; her business, a costume shop and her home which just happened to be all the way on the other side of the continent from her parents sunny home in Southern California where she had been raised and never ventured out from to a sleepy little town called Martha’s Point in Virginia.

Ivey had no clue that a business that she presumed only made money at Halloween was actually the home to a much frequented erotic lingerie shop where wives, mothers and some fetishist went to reinvent themselves. The back room held attire that unleashed the undercover freak that was so well hidden in these upstanding citizens.

This little store aptly named ‘The Masked Shoppe’ is the catalyst that gave Ivey the courage to step out of her boring brown wardrobe and undertake the quest to solve the quiet town’s first murder in over ten years.

While the murder mystery takes a number of twist and turns, our plump heroine becomes involved in a love affair with one of the towns must scrumptious available hunks (Ben), who just happens to be a culinary reporter, moonlighting as a P.I. And boy do they make great partners, despite the fact that Ben feels he must always have the upper hand and must call all the shots. Ben soon realizes that not only in regard to this case but his future, Ivey has the reins, something she has never been able or confident enough to take in her capable hands before.

This story will leave your mouth hanging open for more reasons than one. Misty Simon has a way of making me burst out in laughter one moment and tears in the next. The only complaint that I have about this book is that I was left wanting more. I sincerely hope that Ms. Simon brings Ivey back in a sequel, it is just like chocolate for me; I have got to have more.