What do you get when you mix a pop-princess who’s about to pop, New York City and  a rabid press…murder…but who’s?

****SPOILERS BELOW****

As this episode opens, Castle is face with a mystery and a challenge to his mental acuity. How to write a letter of recommendation for Pi (Alexis’ boyfriend roommate) that sounds believable  and get it done by lunch. Lucky for Castle…there was a murder.

A young troubled teen pop singer, think just post-Hannah Montana’s Miley Cyrus. Instead her “TV show” character was called Mandy Melody with alter ego Mandy Sutton (played by actress Alexandra Chando). Known for her Lohan-esque benders with drugs, alcohol and guys that are no good for her…her body is found in the alleyway behind her apartment (No Wrecking Ball album for her).

Was it the ex that dumped her that week after she publicly cheated on him? Zack, the too good to be true “boy scout” as Mandy’s mother put it,”He builds houses for the poor.” A crazed fan gone too far? Or the old ex she hooked up with, whom she trashed after the lip locking session destroyed her relationship with the aforementioned Zack? After making a few rounds to these suspects, Castle and Beckett get some startling information, the mother I.D.ing the body…found out it wasn’t Mandy.

Turns out it was the decoy who was murdered and Mandy had been passed out in a penthouse of a posh hotel she escapes to from time to time under an alias.  The police keep Mandy “dead” for now to give them time to find the killer, hopefully before they find out Mandy is alive, figuring as she was the presumed target. Closing in on Jesse the old ex, he breaks his story, he was paid to make out with the look-a-like and was to be paid more to keep his mouth shut after the scandal. Instead of a scandal, he was possibly being pinned with a murder. This wrinkle unravels who and what Caskett and crew believe they had figured out. If it wasn’t Jesse, or Zack who had an alibi, or even the crazed fan whom knew it was a fake Mandy when the decoy got out of the limo the night of her death, who was it?

Watch out for stage moms, they can help you right back onto to that roller coaster, and kill your decoy. Mrs. Sutton mom and manager found Zack too milk toast and so calming to Mandy’s life it was costing her headlines, tour money and the fame that debauchery can get you.

A suspect that I thought was interesting was Harvey Stryker of “Celeb Gazers” news outlet. Whom was, to me, an ode to current entertainment news show…TMZ’s head honcho, Harvey Levin. Both reporting on salacious celeb news,…the bigger the scandal the bigger the possible rating numbers.

This episode was fun for me to watch as the Miley/Lohan callbacks were played on the screen. The episode, I would say, wasn’t as strong as the mid-season opener  of fire, explosions and Ryan/Esposito’s possible untimely death that we got with the “Under Fire” episode January 7th. So I see why it was switched. We also got a bit of Castle teaching Beckett how he has to deal with the media; a denial can do more harm than a no answer. And her accepting that she would be in the public eye. It was good to see she was given the choice and when it was right for her, she was the one that placed the engagement announcement in the paper. She had had enough of the rumors, so a little declaration of truth set her free. No more hiding the relationship from those outside the precinct’s circle and family.

I actually thought it was the creepy fan, who had taken photos of Mandy in her skimpy pjs while she slept, who had committed the murder. As a last note, I was glad that it looks like the show is addressing the Pi storyline. Alexis is trying to get him a grant. A grant with a job where he will be traveling, traveling so much that Alexis extricating herself from the relationship, might not be so drama filled. How does she tell dad he was right. Oops.

Memorable lines:

#1

Beckett: “Castle,…should I be worried about your commitment to our engagement?”

Castle: [Stark look close up on Castle’s fear stricken face] No,..Why?

Beckett: Because it says here on page 6 your getting back together with your ex.
…
Castle: I thought this kind of thing didn’t bother you?

Beckett: It doesn’t, it just gives me more material to torture you with.

Castle: And the student becomes the master.

#2

Castle: For the interest of accuracy (Beckett’s newspaper announcement of their engagement), it didn’t say how we’re getting married in space?

Beckett: Yeah, that’ not going to happen, babe.

Castle: It’d be…pretty fun (wistful sadness and longing)……Space (a pensive Shatner-esque delivery on that last “space”).

Next Week: “Dressed to Kill”- When the assistant to Modern Fashion Magazine’s dictatorial editor Matilda King (guest star Frances Fisher) is found murdered, Castle and Beckett are thrust into the glitzy, ruthless world of high fashion in their search for the killer. Meanwhile Beckett’s history in the modeling world gets her access to a very special wedding surprise.

To catch this episode and/or the earlier episodes for this season, check out ABC’s website or app.

What did you think of this episode? Did you think it was going another way? What did you like most? Let us know in the comments below.