Exposé� is Hannah Dennison's third entry in the Vicky Hill series about an up and coming young journalist with a nose for news, a heart of gold and secrets of her own to hide.

Vicky lives and works in Gipping-on-Plym where she rents a room in a private home and works as a professional obituary writer for the local newspaper. Yet despite her inherent connection with local deaths... murder, mayhem and scandal put Vicky's amateur sleuthing skills to the test far too often for her own liking!

This time the story is about the sudden death of local celebrity Scarlett Flemming, whose mysterious instant funeral sets tongues wagging. The widower has even employed an outside company named "Go-Go Gothic"� to handle the arrangements. After an anonymous phone call in the early morning hours attracts Vicky's curiosity, she realizes that there is more going on than meets the eye.

The town folk are very unique characters living their lives in some unusual ways. For instance, the current season's big event is none other than snail racing! These races are taken quite seriously and there is even a posh bash to start things off, and yes, money changes hands.

I find Hannah Dennison's writing to be smart, funny, and cozy enough that the reader finds special connections with Vicky and many of the other characters. The story lines, while original and different, do contain many elements of the traditional cozy mystery, making a reader feel at home quickly within the small town of Gipping-on-Plym. There are red herrings and twists and turns galore, and although Vicky has the occasional bout of gullibility, and a couple of moments when I thought she was TSTL (too stupid to live, as is often the case with amateur detectives; especially women), she ultimately proves that she is smart; and when her mettle is tested she is shown to be mettlesome as well as meddlesome.

Exposé is a fun, fast read that provides mystery lovers with good clues, fun antics and a solid heroine. I very highly recommend it to all mystery readers, but especially those who enjoy a cozy.