Review of "The Secret Ingredient" by Jane Heller

Jane Heller is always dependable. Every one of her previous eight books contains a plot twist and an taste for the humor that even a serious turn of events can induce. This novel sounds a bit like the Gilbert & Sullivan Opera "The Magician". As you read, you will be recalling the old saying about being careful what you wish for.

Anyway, Elizabeth Basking met her husband in a romantic way. He was most loving and spontanious when they were first married. Now he seems to be too tired and too bored to do anything at home but slouch around.

Elizabeth's sister tells her about a mysterious doctor who mixes up mysterious potients mader up of herbs. He creates these elixers for the stars to buck up their energy and outlook on life. Elizabeth is frantic to do anything. At the office she is given two doses of the herbs that were mixed just for her. She also meets a new friend in the doctor's office.

Both women give their husbands both doses and they work. The husbands buy new clothes and have lots of energy. Elisabeth's husband wants constant sex and to go out dancing every night. He has suddenly become attractive to the women he works with. Both of the new friends are exhausted and in a panic and go looking for the doctor only to find that he has vanished. They go on a hunt for the doctor which takes every ounce of their cleverness and gets them into jail for breaking into the office of the doctor.

It is sheer fun to follow both of the women as they search for the cure and realize that their former sloppy husbands were much better then these current energetic men.