Book ~ "Death, Taxes, and a Skinny No-Whip Latte" (2012) Diane Kelly

From Goodreads ~ When she joined the Criminal Investigations Division, Tara knew she’d be investigating some very real crooks. Forget about waitresses hiding tips from the IRS or babysitters not declaring income! Tara and her partner, Eddie, are going after one of country’s richest, dirtiest felons. Being on a diet doesn’t help Tara’s mood much. Hopefully, by the time the investigation is over, she’ll be sitting somewhere in a string bikini, far, far away.

But first: Reality. Marcos Mendoza is a suspected loan shark with connections across the Mexican border. He’s never been accused of any crimes, yet his business associates have a history of disappearing … and resurfacing … in body bags. Will Tara risk life, limb, and the pursuit of filing a joint tax return with her maybe-serious boyfriend Brett? Fighting crime, like drinking a cup of coffee with low-fat milk and artificial sweetener, is often bittersweet.

Tara is an IRS agent ... she was hired because she's got an accounting background but is also a sharpshooter.  She and her partner, Eddie, are trying to get the goods on Marcos Mendoza, a dangerous loan shark.  If you can't pay up or you cross him, he has ways of making you sorry (like having your body cut up into many pieces and discarded around the state of Texas).  Three years ago, another IRS agent, Nick, had tried to infiltrate Marcos' organization to bring him down but ended up taking a bribe from him and quit his job to live in Mexico.

Because of all the surveillance work she has to do, Tara's not able to spend much time with her new beau, Brett, or her two cats, Annie and Henry.  Instead her favourite high calorie lattes are keeping her company and adding on some pounds and inches (hence the reference to the skinny lattes which she has to begrudgingly switch over to).

This is the second book in the Tara Holloway series (and the fifth book I've read by this author).  I read the first one, third one and fourth one in the series within the last couple of weeks ... they work as stand alones as there was enough information from the past ones so you know what's going on.

I enjoyed this one.  I liked the writing style ... it was funny and sarcastic (the scene with the guy in the trench coat was a hoot!).  It is written in first person perspective from Tara's point of view.  As a head's up, there is some swearing and adult activity.

I liked Tara.  She gets really involved with this case and won't let it go.  She would be a good person to have on your side.  Brett sounds like a nice guy but I find him a bit boring and blah.  Tara has loyal friends in Alicia and Christina.  Dr. Ajay, as in the other books, is a hoot and unfortunately Tara has to see him more often than she'd like.

This is definitely a series I'm enjoying and looking forward to reading more of.