By most estimations two inches is not much of anything. Certainly nothing that can nearly bring a man to his knees. Jackson Locke, Private Investigator, would soon find that two inches can do a lot of damage. A Cure for the Common Curse is a fast paced story of Jackson, Private Investigator, who while minding his business, happens upon a pair of witches. He is hired to watch one of the women by her husband. Once he reports the results of his investigation however, things became even more problematic: the witch curses him for putting his nose where it does not belong. At least that is her reasoning.

Jackson however protests. He is, after all, a nice man in a dubious profession. This rollicking story, A Cure for the Common Curse, is a tersely funny and gripping read. It leads you from the intimacies of a man’s mind to a satisfying conclusion that leaves you hoping for more. As a bonus, there is also a follow up story, Dead Reckoning. Both stories bring about the wonders of personal growth, a tangle of clues to be solved, and delightful personalities to meet along the way.

You have his ex-wife, Becky. Divorced, but never far from his life; she is his constant reminder of the fickleness of life, and of his own shortcomings. She keeps him human. His profession, he admits, had become something of a mistress in their marriage. Women are much more complicated than finding new clients, and much less messy. He refuses to deal with any violent crime searches, just simple missing items and people, thank you very much. Other characters also spice the story along the way and I will leave it to you to meet them.

Then there are the two inches. Demonlings. Not Sprites, Gremlins, or Imps, but Demonlings, and do not get them wrongly labeled. A practical P. I. who simply cannot believe in such a silly thing as magic, finds there is nothing silly about them--until one day he gets them drunk. It is when he is getting, if not comfortable with them, at least used to them. That is a mistake and from there on out, the curse begins to fulfill itself in the most crazy of ways. So hang on because you are in for a wild, laughing ride. While two inches can be a terrible problem, they can also be most amusing.

This is one mystery you won’t regret spending time with and will want to enjoy again and again. A Cure for the Common Curse is a good time reading.

Reviewed By: Nancy Louise
© July 2006