When a man dressed in green and wielding a huge medieval sword shows up at her cubicle, Stacy Keenan is intrigued by his blue eyes, but has no idea of his identity. Turns out he’s Jason Flyte, who formed his private investigation firm, Solutions at Swordpoint, in the last fifteen minutes. Recently unemployed, Jason is her coworker Trevor’s roommate and knows the ugly vase her Aunt Catherine gave her for Christmas is missing. Realizing her imposing aunt will demand to bask in the repulsive glory of the cut-glass monstrosity, she hires Jason to find it. He’s never worked as a PI or received any investigative training, but feels certain he can find the hideous gift in time, as well as track down whoever authored that lipsticked threat written on a paper towel and crammed in her purse, promising execution if she doesn’t stay away from Trevor.

Jason conducts unorthodox searches, asks stupid questions, fails to update Stacy regularly, and appears to have no idea what he’s doing, but his madness has a method. So, coincidentally, does Aunt Catherine’s. Total anarchy and mayhem is averted and all ends well, with chuckles for all (except the guilty party).

Bill Alive’s first mystery outside the bounds of Back Mosby is a laugh fest, a quick read that should come with a bib warning, because it’s guaranteed to cause readers to spit their coffee or other liquid of choice in delight.