Toasting Tina #5 by Evan Marshall (Jane & Winky, Good, 2003, HC, 211 pages, Kensington Books)

Former library book in good condition: has library stamps/stickers; inside is clean. ISBN 0758202261

Schemer Tina Vale, publisher of Corsair Books, slept her way to the top, making many enemies on the way. Now she’s going after an old enemy, single mom and literary agent Jane Stuart. What on earth did Jane ever do to get Tina so riled up? Nearly twenty years ago, Tina lost out to Jane when Jane married Kenneth, someone Tina wanted. She never forgave Jane for that!

Now Tina makes Jane pay for it. She cancels Jane’s multi-million-dollar publishing contract with Corsair. That destroys the author’s career and empties Jane’s bank account, but Tina goes further, spreading false rumors about Jane. Jane is damaged financially, but by having the past stirred up, Jane finds new heartache as she recalls her cherished memories of Kenneth who died a few years ago.

Tina and Joan are both at the annual RAT Convention (Romance Authors Together), where the hotel venue is struggling to handle all the romance authors as well as this year’s featured cat show. Jane and Winky, her trusted tortie, want to win the cat show contest and Jane tries to forget all about Tina and stay out of her way.

But soon Jane has more serious matters to worry about. After Tina fails to make her grand entrance at the award ceremonies, her body is discovered in the bathtub, along with one of her prized collectible vintage toasters she was an avid collector of. Tina was always the lavish spender when it came to herself, with some of her collection being worth a pretty penny, and this one sure sizzled! It was still plugged in.