From the publisher:
SHE LED HIM A MERRY CHASE...

When San Francisco heiress Sally MacArthur's sister absconds with their father's priceless jade falcon, Sam Spade's biggest fan hires the most low-down private eye in the book.

Unshaven, cynical James Diamond knows he's crazy to get tangled up with such a woman, whose tale of larceny has more holes in it than a pound of Swiss. But Diamond can't resist the allure of this damsel in distress.

It's a two-way attraction that's as sizzling as the hot water Diamond finds himself in when he takes the case.

Tough guy Diamond is Sally's fantasy detective come to life--a fantasy man who's started spinning a few fantasies of his own.

**********

I can always count on Anne Stuart for a good read, and I'm glad to say that this book was another winner. It was written as a clear hommage to film noir movies, from Sally's fascination with Bogart, Bacall, Sam Spade and Raymond Chandler to the cynical lines uttered by jaded P.I. Diamond. Gotta love that! :)

Diamond "smoked too much, drank too much and lived a life-style that was as foreign as it was romantic," but he was so charming doing it that I couldn't help falling for him. Obviously, it was only a matter of time before he changed his ways due to Sally's "nagging", and it was fun to watch him trying to fight that lost battle.

Sally was kind of ditzy, prone to lying and, let's say it, acted TSTL at times, but I ended up loving her anyway. Probably because she drove Diamond nuts, making room for a lot of funny banter between them. Bottom line, Diamond and Sally's interaction was what made this story work for me.

The plot was a bit convoluted, with a few twists thrown here and there, but it was in sync with the film noir setting so I'm guessing that was planned and not a result of "bad writing". As for the ending, the final showdown with the "bad guys" wasn't as thrilling as I had expected it to be, but Ms. Stuart made up for it later with Diamond's delightful proposal.