SOLVED. Adult Mystery- murder involving a medallion with initials, fashionista main character, fake identities. [s]

[Jessica]

I remember reading this book around 2017-2019. It was a book from a mystery series, the main character is a women who likes fashion, specifically I think she liked to buy vintage fashion (I think she mentioned eBay) and this specific mystery involved a body found with a locket or some sort of medallion with initials on it (if I remembered the initials that would make this search much easier, but it was something like r.a.d, but that might be wrong. I also remember that the title of the book was three words, all starting with the letters in the initials.

I remember that the initials lead to a foster mother, who had fostered this girl (who's body it was) long ago. A spoiler, but it turns out that the killer was a famous actress, who was also one of the foster kids. It turns out she had killed the girl when she herself was young, and taken her identity for all these years. I think it ended with the actress trying to kill MC, and she was saved because the deceptive (I think) who she was romantically involved with realized the true murderer right at that time.

I also remember a romantic aspect, I think the MC was in a sort of third wheel between a detective/criminal investigator and somebody else (this is vague, but it might've been something about forensics) . I think it was the detective that give her in ins-and-outs surrounding the crime. I don't think she was specifically a detective or police, but had some job that related to crime. Unfortunately I don't remember what it was specifically.

I think this took place in LA, at least that was where the body was found. I also think it was mentioned that the MC had a complicated relationship with her mother, but that played a very small part of the story.

I don't think it would be considered a "cozy" mystery, but it was a sort of chick-lit style mystery novel. Thank you in advance.

[Rosa]

It sounds kind of similar to Poetic Poison, but not exactly.

[Jessica]

unfortunately I don't think that's it. It definitely took place in America.

[Tammy]

Fat Chance by Rhonda Pollero?

[Jessica]

^^YAY!! that's it!! thank you so much

[Bargle]

link Fat Chance by Rhonda Pollero.

[Tammy]

Hey, I got one! I feel so smart!