Book #41: Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

I read basically all of the Princess Diaries series when I was in high school, and always enjoyed Cabot's easygoing and fun writing style. While I was in Utah, I found out about the Oyster reading app, and downloaded the free trial--and read all five of her mysteries with heroine/amateur sleuth Heather Wells. Size 12 Is Not Fat is the first one--and you wouldn't have any idea what the book was about from its title. Heather Wells is a washed up pop star who lost her recording contract when she gained weight and her money when her mom ran off with her agent and her savings, so she ends up getting a job as an assistant residence hall director at New York City College. I loved this backstory and persona for Heather--I thought that was a super interesting and hilarious aspect of the story. But the main plot actually had nothing to do with Heather's past--it revolved around her trying to figure out what happened to several kids who died falling down the elevator shafts in her building. It doesn't feel like she gets obnoxiously involved, but she just does her job and keeps stumbling on questions and problems--and she ends up solving the mystery and finding out who is murdering people and why--and ends up getting in serious danger at the end with the murderer as well.

Like I said, Cabot's style is so funny and easy to read, it really feels like you are in Heather Wells' head and that you get to know her specifically as you read the book. She's got insecurities about things (like her body, as you might imagine from the title) but she's also really funny and frank about them and doesn't mind admitting that she eats cream-cheese-and-bacon bagels every morning for breakfast and that she wears Spanx when she needs to.