When Jack Roberts walked into the James and James Detective Agency and declared that his daughter had been murdered, little did Alice James know what she and her partner were getting into as she listened to Jack’s emotional story.

Although it had only been three days since Laura’s death, Jack did not feel the police were doing enough to find her killer, and he wanted help in bringing the killer to justice. He even knew who the murderer was - Kevin Miller, his daughter’s abusive ex-boyfriend who was stalking her up until the time of her death.

James and James decided to take the case, mainly because the agency was new and they had no other cases lined up, but they soon found out that Kevin was not the only one who might have wanted Laura dead. As their investigation proceeds, other suspects are identified including Laura's mentally unbalanced tenant, her bad tempered roommate, her current fiancé, and her volatile father.

Not only that, but Jack seems to be taking a little too much interest in the case continuing to insist he has already identified the killer while James and James find clues that disputes that claim.

The unlikely duo of Jim Snow and Alice James recently joined forces to form the James and James detective agency. He is a former Las Vegas detective who prefers playing poker for a living, and she is a former model turned cocktail waitress who tried her hand at Casino security, followed by a stint in law enforcement.

Ashes to Dust was written by Rex Kusler as the first offering in the Las Vegas Mystery Series. Not only is this an interesting mystery, but the dialog, especially between Snow and James, promises to keep the reader entertained.

Jim and Alice are two very different people who happen to be attracted to one-another, and who have become close personal friends. Although the two are just good friends, one wonders whether their relationship will become more than that in the future. Their lively banter adds a great deal to this mystery and makes this quite an interesting read.

Although readers may think they know who killed Laura, there is still a surprise or two at the end. Ashes to Dust makes a great summer read!

This complimentary copy of Ashes to Dust was provided by Amazon through their Amazon Vine review program. If you are interested in a copy, the book is available at Amazon.com.