Have you ever wished you had a professional friend? Someone to help you through rough patches without the complicated history that muddies real relationships? That's the premise behind Laura Bradford's "A Perilous Pal," the second installment in her Friend for Hire Mystery series. Emma Westlake rents herself out as a companion—for events, for life coaching, for simply being there. But when her latest client's ex-husband turns up dead, Emma's professional empathy becomes an amateur sleuthing superpower.
At a Glance
- "A Perilous Pal" is Book 2 in Laura Bradford's Friend for Hire Mystery series
- Published by Berkley on July 5, 2022; 288 pages, mass market paperback and Kindle formats
- Protagonist Emma Westlake runs a "Friend for Hire" business in Tennessee
- A bucket-list activity sparks murder charges against her client
- Mystery reviewers praise strong plotting, character growth, and genuine twists
What Happens in This Book
Emma's new client, Kim Felder, is drowning. Her husband left her for someone younger, her kids have moved out, and she's lost the identity she built around caring for others. Emma's prescription: a bucket list of things Kim always wanted to do but never had time for—baking classes, spontaneous dancing, travel to unusual places.
Some items on that list, though, involve getting back at the ex. When Kim's former husband dies via one of those revenge methods, Deputy Jack Riordan has his suspect locked up. Emma knows better. She believes in Kim completely, which means putting her own relationship with Jack on the line to find the real killer.
The mystery unfolds with what reviewers call genuine twists and misdirection. Readers report being misled until a final reveal that delivers satisfaction without feeling cheap.
Why This Series Works
Think about what makes amateur sleuths compelling. Usually, they're bakers, librarians, or retirees with too much time and curiosity. Emma is different. Her actual job requires her to understand people—their secrets, their motivations, their hidden pain. That makes her investigative instincts feel earned rather than convenient.
In the first book, Emma stumbled into solving a murder. Here, she chooses to investigate, even knowing it could cost her romance with the deputy investigating the same case. The tension between her professional boundaries and personal stakes gives the story real texture.
The supporting cast deserves mention too. Dottie, Emma's octogenarian friend, wants to be an amateur sleuth like the characters in the cozy mysteries she devours. She pushes Emma to dig deeper. Stephanie provides help and comic relief. Even the dog, Scout, plays a role in repairing the Jack-Emma relationship when it hits rough patches.
Our Analysis
Here's what stands out: Emma's guilt problem. The reviewer specifically notes that Emma becomes so genuinely helpful to clients that continuing to charge them feels wrong. That's a clever series problem. Each solved case deepens the ethical tension. How do you bill someone for saving them from prison?
The cozy mystery genre often relies on professional proximity to crime—police relatives, café owners who overhear everything, bookstore owners with regular customers. Emma's setup is arguably stronger because her profession is fundamentally about people and their stories. She already knows where bodies are buried metaphorically; now she's finding them literally.
What to watch: Can Bradford sustain this premise? The bucket list concept is specific and clever, but each book needs a new reason for Emma to take a client case and a new way for that case to turn deadly. If the series can keep finding fresh angles on the "Friend for Hire" premise, it has multi-book potential. If not, this could feel repetitive by Book 4.
A Practical Example
Say you're a cozy mystery reader who typically grabs whatever's new at the library. You pick up "A Perilous Pal" expecting standard formula. By Chapter 3, you're invested because Emma's emotional investment in Kim feels real—not like a detective running through procedural checklist items, but like someone who genuinely cares about getting this right. You finish the book and immediately check whether Book 1 is available, because you want to see how the Emma-and-Jack dynamic developed from the beginning.
That's the series' strength: it earns repeat readership by making you care about Emma's growth, not just her next case.
Key takeaways
- Strong choice for readers who want character-driven cozies with genuine mystery craft
- Standalone-friendly but richer if read in sequence
- Accessible format and length for quick vacation or weekend reading
- Watch how Bradford handles Emma's ethical dilemma in future installments
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to read the first book before this one?
No, but the relationship dynamics and character foundations make more sense if you start with Book 1, "A Plus One for Murder."
How scary or violent is this book?
Minimal violence, all offscreen. Classic cozy tone—death happens, but the focus stays on investigation and relationships rather than gore.
Is this a romance wrapped in a mystery or vice versa?
Mystery drives the plot, with the Jack-Emma relationship as a meaningful subplot that develops alongside the central case.
What other books has this author written?
Laura Bradford also writes the Emergency Dessert Squad Mysteries and, under the name Elizabeth Lynn Casey, the Southern Sewing Circle Mysteries.
Where can readers find this book?
Standard retail channels carry the Berkley edition in print and digital formats. Library systems typically stock it as well.