Christine McMullen worked her way through university as a cocktail waitress in Illinois. After earning her PhD, she moved to LA with her best friend from grade school, Elaine Butterfield. Elaine's goal was to become an actress; Chrissy hung out her shingle and opened her private practice as a psychologist. Though Elaine is drop-dead gorgeous, Chrissy gets her share of amorous men. She also gets more than her share of attempts to be murdered.
In Unmanned , the fourth book of the series, a man Chrissy meets at a gas station offers to repair her garage and shows up at her door unexpectedly. Even more unexpectedly, someone guns him down on the way to the garage. Turns out the victim was a hit man. Was the bullet meant for Chrissy, or did the shot save her from the hit man? Who wanted Christina McMullen dead?
To further complicate Chrissy's life her brother, Peter John, shows up just weeks before his wedding to his very pregnant fiancee. Pete brings his own baggage: he's stolen a Corvette and recently bedded a co-worker's wife. Were all the attacks (there are a few) aimed at Chrissy, or were some attempts to get revenge for one or more of Pete's indiscretions?
LAPD Lt. Jack Rivera, Chrissy's love interest, investigates. He has his own theories based on his acrimonious relationship with his father, the senator. Rivera has perfect theatrical timing, appearing just in time to save Christina from each peril. Yeah, it is somewhat hackneyed, but funny nonetheless.
This is for the Janet Evanovich fans who are craving a protagonist similar to Stephanie Plum. Because characters build from book to book, you really want to read this series in order, starting with Unzipped.