Head Case

When Joanna Hayworth visits Bradley Stroden, a onetime protege of legendary costume designer Edith Head, she expects to find closets bulging with drool-worthy gowns to stock her Portland, Oregon, vintage clothing store. Instead, she finds a corpse.

With movie costumes as bait, Joanna investigates why Stroden was murdered. Could it be tied to the tell-all Hollywood memoir he was writing? Or to a midcentury film noir that was mysteriously yanked before it was released? Or to his adoring sister?

At the same time, Joanna stumbles upon a priceless pair of emerald earrings hidden on her laundry shelf. Her houseguest has some explaining to do. Joanna’s new marriage–and, possibly, her life itself–depend on figuring out who is acting and who is for real.