Judith Arnold

Kickoff Judith Arnold

When one of Lainie Lovett's closest friends suspects her husband of cheating on her, she turns to Lainie for help. He insists he's innocent, but he's seen leaving the Other Woman's house--shortly before the Other Woman turns up dead, apparently killed after pigging out on Happy's Hamburgers. Now he's suspected of murder, and he begs Lainie to clear his name. How can she say no? His wife is the goalie of the Rockettes, Lainie's soccer team. Lainie has to make sense of the victim's blasé family and back-stabbing pals. Add to this the mysterious green car that keeps appearing in front of Lainie's house, the romantic ups and downs of her flaky sister-in-law, the subtle pressure she's feeling from her boyfriend, and kickoff week--the start of a new school year for Lainie and her fellow teachers. She also has to figure out why the victim, a devout vegetarian, would consume all those fast-food hamburgers. Whether it's affection for family and friends, passion for teaching, enthusiasm for soccer, panic over a possibly straying husband, or a soul-deep craving for a greasy meat patty on a toasted bun... Ultimately, everything is about love. And love, Lainie learns, can cause a whole lot of trouble.