The Renewable Virgin — Barbara Paul

When a television writer is murdered, three women join forces to find his killer

After years churning out schlock for television, Rudy Benedict is afraid his job will kill him if he doesn't leave Hollywood soon. He's wrong. He'll make it all the way to New York before he dies. After a few weeks of fruitless work on his new play -- an exposé of Hollywood's seamy underbelly -- Rudy is found dead on the floor of his apartment, poisoned.

The cops are baffled. Who would bother killing someone with so little talent? At first, it looks like the real target was Kelly Ingram, a gorgeous actress on the verge of her big break, but NYPD detective Marian Larch isn't convinced. Looking for answers, the two women reach out to Rudy's mother for help unraveling the mystery -- but Mrs. Benedict may have an appetite for murder.

The Renewable Virgin is the 1st book in the Marian Larch Mysteries, but you may enjoy reading the series in any order.