This is the latest in Lange’s series of Maxi Poole mysteries. It is a quiet time in the newsroom until she receives the call telling her that Gillian Rose is dead. Rose is the billionaire behind a dietary supplements empire ­ and she has been murdered. Maxi decides to investigate, but puts her own life in danger.

‘Dead File’ is a humorous mystery which at times will have the reader laughing out loud. Her main character, Maxi Poole, is immediately interesting and will hold the reader’s attention throughout the novel. The author also switches viewpoints during the novel, allowing us to hear from other characters. However, towards the end of the novel, she concentrates entirely on Maxi as the action intensifies.

Whilst the characters are interesting and the novel moves along at a fast pace, the final solution to the mystery is not very exciting. In fact, one could say that it relies more on the reader suspending their disbelief than it does on detective work and logic. However, if you can do this, ‘Dead File’ is an enjoyable and fun read that will pass a few hours on a wet winter day.