The Trouble with a Small Raise: A Simona Griffo Mystery

Simona Griffo Mystery #1

by Camilla T. Crespi

Simona needs a raise badly, but her boss is too busy with HH&H's new advertising campaign for a fancy perfume to give her the time of day. She gets up early one morning to confront Fred one last time only to find him lying on the plush carpet of his office...murdered. Who is the killer and why? Maybe it's the art director who hungered for Fred's job. Or the jilted ad executive. Or the secretive CEO. Or the overworked Office Manager. There are too many suspects to sort through, but when the cute detective assigned to the case discovers incriminating evidence in Simona's desk, she knows she better find the murderer fast.

"Replete with well-drawn characters...Nothing spoils the fun of this thoroughly engrossing whodunit, [which introduces one of the boldest and most likable female sleuths."
-Publishers Weekly

"Small Raise presents a complicated plot and a lot of intriguing ad business colleagues, and introduces Simona's "When in doubt, cook" philosophy. My kind of woman."
-Joyce Christmas, Mysterious Women

"Crespi has a light touch with location and atmosphere, and her characters are far from the staid characters often found in series books."
-Ellen Nehr, Murder Ad Lib

"Ms. Crespi truly shines in the humor department. Realistic and richly detailed...Crespi will undoubtedly win a following among those who become acquainted with her heroine."
-Stevanne Carter, Mostly Murder

Genres: Mystery

268 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1991

About the author

Camilla T. Crespi also writes novels under the name Camilla Trinchieri.

Series:
* Simona Griffo Mystery

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Italian born, New York transplant Simona needs a raise. She has attempted to ask for one from her Boss Fred, but somehow the charming fellow, no, disarming fellow has successfully parried her away. On the day she is determined to get it, he is found dead. Sigh.
Here lies the story. Simona and her ad agency co-workers are all suspects because everyone had some issue with good 'ol Fred. Along with the NY police detectives and Simona going a'snooping. She finds out intimate stuff about her bosses (there are 3) and her co-workers. (there are so many Trella Crespi made a list of the cast of characters).
This book was written in 1991 and it is most definitely written within the timeline of the late 80s-90s. There is smoking in the workplace, no cell phones to be seen and the ad illustrators are drawing by hand not computer design or graphics. A view of the World Trade Center is mentioned briefly to emphasize the importance of one of the Bosses. Further, there is an on-going amount of behavior we would NOW call sexist and or sexual harassment. But at this ad agency, at least some of it is innocent and charming. Despite, the obvious old school feel, the book has not "dated feel".
I enjoyed all of the characters, and the writing style. So on to Book 2.

[Laurel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story line.

Great story, too bad no one did any proof reading or grammar check. That, in and of itself was so distracting I almost gave the book a miss. Again food story, But...

[Noreen Dean-Tichenor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Expect being a fly on the wall

10, 10, 10 for Simona and the intensity that build from the agency, twists and the romance that evolves between the lovers is palpable!

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. Might read the next in the series, just to see if the writing and storyline improve. Read a very poorly edited ebook from Hoopla, which didn’t help.

[Rogue Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Camilla Crespi's Trouble With a Bad Fit years ago and forgot how much fun her Simona Griffo mysteries are until I picked up The Trouble With a Small Raise not too long ago.

The Trouble With a Small Raise is Crespi's first Simona Griffo mystery - she's on her first job after moving from Italy to New York City. She's a fashion producer, a low level position in a high powered advertising agency. She's underpaid, and with what we presume is typical Italian ire, tells her boss repeatedly that she needs a raise, until he's dead, and she's suspected.

Fun insight into high fashion, modeling, and the Italian way of life - food, friends, frantic hand gestures and lots of exclamations!

Small Raise was published by Kensington in 1991, Bad Fit and Going Home in 1996, Hot Summer in 1998, Thin Ice, Too Much Sun and Moonlighting in 2003. What's happened to Crespi? Well, she's Camilla Trenchieri, The Price of Silence published in 2007 by Soho and Finding Alice in 2010.

--Ashland Mystery

[LJ · Rating 2 out of 5]

THE TROUBLE WITH A SMALL RAISE (Cozy-Simona-Cont) - Okay
Crespi, Trella - 1st of series

From Fantastic Fiction: Simona needs a raise badly, but her boss is too busy with HH&H's new advertising campaign for a fancy perfume to give her the time of day. She gets up early one morning to confront Fred one last time only to find him lying on the plush carpet of his office.murdered. Who is the killer and why? Maybe it's the art director who hungered for Fred's job. Or the jilted ad executive. Or the secretive CEO. Or the overworked Office Manager. There are too many suspects to sort through, but when the cute detective assigned to the case discovers incriminating evidence in Simona's desk, she knows she better find the murderer fast.

It was okay. Definitely a cozy and much to light for my taste. Sold.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simona has uprooted her life in Rome to move to New York, but two years at low wages have convinced her that she needs more money. Unfortunately, her ad agency boss is murdered before she can ask again. As Simona gradually discovers that everyone in her office has a secret to keep, she also finds herself falling for the police officer in charge of the case, Stan Greenhouse, who likes her but doesn't like her snooping around.

[Pat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simona Griffo solves mysteries.