Amazon Category:  Mystery/Suspense Publisher: Creative Arts Book Company ISBN-10:  0887394124 Type: Fiction Pages: 252 Copyright: Oct 1 2002 Supernatural reporter Alexandria Vilkas launches a feature on Crystal Skull, but is skeptical of its metaphysical powers---until the Chicago mayor dies in her arms. Now the prime suspect in the mayor's murder, Alex needs to clear her name, fast. Along the way she begins to suspect her own mother, discovers a cigarette-selling scam that's making some city aldermen rich, stumbles into some bad shenanigans in a tortilla factory, and gets attacked by a lovelorn astrologer. Meanwhile a knockout brawl among the town's fifty aldermen erupts in downtown City Hall and Alex desperately wonders if she'll be alive for the next mayoral election. Can she unearth the connection between the Crystal Skull and the murder before it's too late? Excerpt I was on my back with the Chicago mayor sprawled on top of me. I was having trouble breathing. Pain radiated along my left arm. Above me, a collage of faces, aghast, quickly assembled. A woman leaned over. She was so close, I smelled her cleavage. Her bra was midnight blue, a perfect match to her gown. Her face contorted like one of those twistable squishy dolls. And then she shrieked. "He's dead! He's dead! The mayor is dead!"

Library Journal
A highly appealing, up-front heroine and a novel look at Chicago politics make this an attractive first mystery.

Barbara D'Amato, author of Authorized Personnel Only, and winner of the first annual Mary Higgins Clark Award
A humorous romp with a good bit of mayhem included.

Jim Kozicki, Chairman, Daley College Department of English and Speech and Playwright, Black Beauty, Songs with Polish Words in Them
Alexandria Vilkas navigates the everyday madness known as Chicago politics with a sharp pen and the uncanny resilience of an emerging feminist. When she's done with the boys, nothing's where it once was and all's not only well, it's better! This is truly a contemporary Chicago adventure! Wickedly brilliant on every level!