Subjects:  1. Brandstetter, Dave (Fictitious    2. Brandstetter, Dave (Fictitious character)    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - General    5. Gay men    6. General    7. Mystery/Suspense    8. Private investigators    9. United States    10. Fiction / General   

Reviews (3)

Good plot, not so great dialogue
I agree with the earlier reviewer that there is too much "gang lingo" in this book. However, if you can get past it, the plot is rather well done. Not as good as her first book ("Bleeding Out"), but good. The underlying love story is very well done and kept me turning the pages, hoping Frank wouldn't let Gail get away.

Gritty, Hard Hitting
Baxter Claire takes you to the mean streets of LA, but with a modern twist.The language is vibrant and real, the story compelling and in the end the street does rule, just as it often does in real life.Lt. Franco and her squad are imperfect and interesting.This is a powerful series.

Disappointed
I waited three years for this book, and was very disappointed when I finally got it.I read Clare's first book (Bleeding Out, Firebrand Books, 2000)and was amazed and astounded at the talent of that debut mystery.Read more

Subjects:  1. California    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    4. Franco, L. A. (Fictitious character)    5. Lesbian    6. Lesbians    7. Los Angeles    8. Mystery & Detective - General    9. Mystery & Detective - Hard-Boiled    10. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    11. Policewomen    12. Adventure / thriller    13. Crime & mystery   

Reviews (1)

Intelligent mystery/fantasy about dimensional reality.
Funny, insightful character study and mystery placed at Epcot Center in Walt Disney World. Dreher makes even Micky Mouse seems spooky when she delves into the hidden tunnels at WDW that are packed with deceptive turns,tricks of sound and sight, and may be the gateway to another universe. Dreher's regular characters are enriched with the addition of some newones. A must read for Stoner fans and all who enjoy a perfectly craftedwork. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    4. Lesbian    5. Lesbians    6. McTavish, Stoner (Fictitious c    7. McTavish, Stoner (Fictitious character)    8. Mystery & Detective - General    9. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    10. United States    11. Women detectives    12. Adventure / thriller    13. Crime & mystery   

Reviews (2)

Review of "Picking Up the Pace"
Depressed over a recent breakup with her boyfriend, but elated over a job promotion, Angie Mitchell agrees to go to a party where she meets a singer who has just finished a stint in the Peace Corps. Finding herself attracted to Lauren has turned Angie's world upside down.
Sizzling Lesbian Romance Thriller
For a first-time novel (I'm assuming this is a first, since there are no other books by a Kimberly LaFontaine), this was a spectacular effort. New writers often have difficulties completing the first few paragraphs without stumbling into their characters' lives in a clumsey, bumbling way. But LaFontaine manages to jump right in with clear precision that makes you feel like you've known these characters all your life.
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Subjects:  1. Fiction - General    2. Crime & mystery    3. Romance    4. Lesbian    5. Fiction   

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Lesbian    4. Mystery & Detective - Series    5. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths   

Reviews (2)

under the radar
I picked up this book at the bookstore knowing nothing about it. I was pleasantly surprised to find a campy mystery with compelling characters. I hope Ms. Wilbon will write more. I loved it!

Couldn't put this book down!!!
I had gotten a copy of this book back in September and didn't pick it up til this past Saturday.I could not put it down!!!
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Subjects:  1. American First Novelists    2. Ex-police officers    3. Female friendship    4. Fiction    5. Fiction - General    6. Humorous    7. Lesbian    8. Mystery & Detective - General    9. Single women   

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - General    3. Lesbian    4. Mystery & Detective - General    5. Fiction / Lesbian   

Reviews (10)

Wanted to like this but....
St. Agatha's Breast by T.C. Van Adler was sadly, a waste of time.The only redeeming quality to the book is the plight of preserving the artistic treasures of Rome.All too often because of corruption, greed and apathy, many of Rome's finest artistic landmarks and works get lost to oblivion.Another illumnating aspect is you see how depraved some priests are and all the cases of priests abusing children don't seem as far fetched when you read this book.The plot was convoluted and the characters totally un-sympathetic. I enjoy adult stories like the next person, but the titillation went overboard for the sake of sensationalism.

Delightful
This book, and the sequel, are delightful little gems.Yes, as with others, I would love to know the real "T.C. Van Adler", an interesting person I should think.I cannot speak for the Latin, but the English usage is complex and new words abound.The plot is superficial, the novel not deep, but the writing style is enchanting. The marks of an educated man (or woman).
The blurb was enticing, and I like that old Simon Raven, Iain Pears kind of stuff anyway, and there was also a gay theme. Looked good.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1594?-1665    2. Appreciation    3. Art thefts    4. Fiction    5. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    6. Gay    7. Monasteries    8. Mystery & Detective - General    9. Mystery/Suspense    10. Poussin, Nicolas,    11. Rome (Italy)    12. Poussin, Nicolas   

Reviews (3)

Nice story, bad mystery
The story in the book kept my attention and I refused to put the book down until I had finished it. However, the mystery itself did not flow well. It seemed to me that Brett and Allie got most of their clues by luck and by Brett's contact with the dead Liza. I think the best approach to this book is to just tell yourself "I believe," and force all doubts and questions out of your mind. I also saw no reason for Storm to keep appearing. Until Storm's appearance, Brett seemed to have no problem with her memories of Storm. It was only after Storm appeared, and told Brett she had to let Storm go, that Brett started questioning her relationship with Allie.

Loved the Murder story...but not much else
Now, I was very excited about The second Brett Higgins mystery becuase I thought the first, 'When the Dancing Stops', was excellent! But, I was a little saddend by this one. I found the writing a little rushed and contrived. The first novel I felt read much more logically and the characters were more believable, likable and interesting. The only person in this novel I liked and believed was Liza, the mudered girl and she was hardly in the story. Brett just seemed to darn butch for her own good and the dialogue between she and her lover Allie was just plain unreal. It was as if the words and the "glares" were stratigically placed. So strategically placed infact that it seemed to flow more like a play. A play written by a budding highschool writer. The only thing that kept me reading the novel was that I wanted to know how the book was finally pulled together in the end, and to see if Liza made any more appearances (and the fact I spent some money on it). The love scenes were clich�, and the character development non-existant. Overall, the read was easy, and a bit entertaining but the novel left much to be desired. I'm a little nervous about ordering the next in the series. I just hope that the story line is a bit more believable than this one. But keep on keepin' on Therese because I'm sure this is not the last novel I'll read by you.

Szymanski a True Genius
Passion filled adventure surrounds Brett and Allie when they take chargeof thier new life together.Upon entering thier new home, believed byneighbors to be haunted, Brett begins to feel something unfamiliar.As thetwo begin to explore the history of the house they find a girl was murderedthere.While investigating the murder of years prior, Brett is faced withher own past.Will the memory of Storm ruin Brett and Allie'srelationship, or will the truth set Brett free from fear?Szymanski is atrue genius in her writings, combining intense passion and adventure toprovide a reading enjoyment like no other. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    4. Lesbian    5. Lesbians    6. Mystery & Detective - General    7. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    8. Mystery/Suspense    9. Adventure / thriller    10. Crime & mystery    11. Literature of special Lesbian interest   

Reviews (1)

Not his best
This is the second Zubro mystery I have read, and it was not near as good as the first one, "Another Dead Teenager." However, I am not deterred from reading all of his work, and I will continue to purchase thenew ones as they are published.Read more

Subjects:  1. Chicago    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    4. Gay    5. Gay police officers    6. Illinois    7. Mystery & Detective - General    8. Mystery/Suspense    9. Police    10. Turner, Paul (Fictitious chara    11. Turner, Paul (Fictitious character)    12. Crime & mystery   

Reviews (4)

Plot needs a boost
I just finished the novel.This is the first Tom and Scott novel I have read.I was a bit disappointed with the novel because there was not enough gay drama and fun about the novel.It might as well have been about straight characters.Tom and Scott might as well be a straight couple as they are so Victoria and Albert, with a relationship not a bit strained by anything.It's too good to be believable.And the plot - I guessed who the culprit was going to be long before the end of the story.And since the title mentions a drag queen I expected more of a story based on the lives of drag queens and what they do and how they live.This was a very unusual drag queen who seemed to live the life of an Arab sheik in Chicago.I wanted more normal, everyday drag queens and lots of them.In any case, I thought the story was well written but just not exciting enough and not enough drag queen stuff.This is only my opinion and you should read other reviews before deciding.

Rapid-fire action
There's a bombing downtown and Tom is one of the victims. His lover Scott is frantic and begins his own investigation into the catastrophe. Was it random, or aimed at the clinic where Tom was volunteering, or was it aimed at Tom himself? After Tom wakes from a coma, the duo find even more clues pointing in many directions. And when a drag queen friend of Tom's is killed, they know they're targets themselves. The plot is action-packed and hardly gives the reader time to breathe, and yet I never felt involved in the story. Of course, this is the first Zubro I've read, so that's part of it, but each book in a series ought to bring the reader into the series and entice. The solving of the bombings and murder was well crafted and believable, and Zubro certainly is a great writer. This just may not be his best overall, so.

A Shift in Focus
I liked the idea that Zubro shifted the focus of this novel from Tom, ex-marine superman, to Scott, the "sidekick". Unfortunately the plot in which Zubro involves Scott on his first outing (no pun intended) israther weak when compared to previous novels ("Why Isn't BeckyTwitchell Dead?" is one of my favorites). A good read for fans of theseries, but it needed more meat. I am not sure if the subject (the bombing)was thought to be too sensitive for a real murder mystery; if that was theadvice given to Zubro, he shouldn't have heeded it, because it provides asub-par novel. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Gay    4. Mystery & Detective - General    5. Mystery & Detective - Series    6. Mystery/Suspense    7. Crime & mystery    8. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General    9. Literature of special Gay interest   

Reviews (4)

Blood Guilt
Lindy Cameron's debut novel is wonderful.I enjoyed Kit O'Malley's character.She was down-to-earth with a sense of humor and integrity.This novel covered all the bases:romanace, mystery, intrigue.
Excellent writing, terrific story, great characters.
Lindy Cameron is a terrific writer, as smart and funny as the charming, goofy, danger-prone heroine of her book, Kit O'Malley.Blood Guilt is a great read; I finished it in a single sitting because I couldn't put it down.I am very much looking forward to the sequel, which is due to be published in August.
Great weekend read.
The book was delightful.It had murder, mayhem, humor, and a very good romance thrown in.Plus, as another reviewer pointed out, it was not "dark".And you know the best part...it was not warrior princess and sidekick. I commend the publishers for putting out books with substance, both in story and length. It is refreshing to read a book with 300+ pages as opposed to the skimpy ones that B**** (rhymes with Ella) puts out. Thank you to the author for a great book.I look forward to your next. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - General    3. Lesbian    4. Mystery & Detective - General    5. Fiction / Lesbian    6. Literature of special Lesbian interest    7. Modern fiction   

Reviews (1)

A DESTINED-TO-BE CLASSIC OF ITS GENRE!
If you've not had the pleasure of reading William Maltese's infamous Doppelmorder, his German-language short-story (not yet offered in English-language translation), that had at least one German critic label the author A Grand Master of the mystery genre ... If you have read several of Maltese's English-language books (and there are several), and you agree he's good but still aren't sure he's all that great ... Don't pass up buying THAI DIED. It may not possess the short-term visceral punch of his tour-de-force Dooppelmorder, but it certainly places the author right up there with the very best of mystery writers, gay or otherwise.Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    2. Crime & mystery    3. General & Literary Fiction    4. Literature of special Gay interest    5. Gay    6. Mystery & Detective - General    7. Fiction    8. Mystery/Suspense   

Editorial Review

Joan M. Drury's Read more

Reviews (3)

It's simply badly written
It's true there are interesting aspects to this book, but it's simply badly written. I'm not the only person of my acquaintance who's abandoned this book because of the substandard writing. (One friend actually took thebook back to the store in disgust.) Maybe mystery readers--andreviewers--generally have lower expectations for prose quality. Still, Ican think of several examples of mystery novels that sucessfully combinegood stories with good writing. This is not one of them. (I also found thestory overblown, its contrivances too obvious, its dialogue often clumsy.But what's most irritating is the writing.)

Stick with Sue Grafton
My mother first stumbled across this book in the library. Her review? "She's no Sue Grafton, that's for sure." I picked it up when vacationing on the north shore of Lake Superior, which is where the novelis set. My own review? Writing that makes you wince isn't acceptable evenfor desultory "summer reading." Stick with Sue Grafton, EllenHart, and the like.

Truth win out regardless of the fallout
The dying mother of San Francisco newspaper reporter and amateur detective Tyler Jones makes her daughter swear a death bed promise that she will return to their Minnesota roots to "shake the skeletons in the closet" and learn the truth. With the death of her mother, at 39 Tyler feels a bit alone. Her sister Magdalene will barely talk to her because she and her conservative spouse do not wish to expose their children to the family lesbian.The will is read and Tyler gets her mother's entire estate. Magdalene blames it all on her sibling's lesbianism, a sexual preference of their mother's attorney also. In truth, their mother's decision was only to counterbalance their father's decree to disown Tyler years ago due to her lesbian inclination.For Tyler, honoring her mother's last wish is important because her mother had accepted her as she is. Tyler, with her dog Aggie returns to her grandparents' hometown on the shore of Lake Superior with no real idea what her mother wanted her to learn.As she gets reacquainted with old friends, Tyler realizes that her family has passed down through the generations many lies and half-truths wrapped up in mystery and legend. The community, especially the males, remain silent and refuse to answer Tyler's inquiries. With the help of some strong women, Tyler begins to put together a history of misogyny and prejudice festering inside the hearts and minds of many of the local residents. SILENT WORDS is an interesting entry into the mystery genre. Joan M. Drury brilliantly and colorfully explores family relationships, interactions between neighbors, and sexual phobias (especially homophobia) that makes readers want to relook their own personal beliefs and relationships.Regardless of the audience's gender or sexual preference, Tyler Jones, in her second outing, is one of the better amateur female sleuths in nineties literature. Harriet Klausner ----- ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Jones, Tyler (Fictitious chara    4. Jones, Tyler (Fictitious character)    5. Lesbian    6. Mystery & Detective - General    7. Mystery fiction    8. Mystery/Suspense    9. Popular American Fiction    10. Crime & mystery   

Editorial Review

Devotees of the lesbian pulp romances of the '50s and '60s will want to sink into this smoky noir thriller set in Greenwich Village in the years just after World War II. Blackie Cole is a tuxedo-wearing butch whose soulful singing at the Candy Box, a Mafia-run nightclub, attracts a host of swooning regulars, as well as a lively mix of uptown types, from successful, secretly kiki actresses to rich gay men to straight couples out for a peep at the queers. None know that it's Blackie's bad luck in love that makes her songs so powerful. Her beautiful, hard-drinking lover, Renee, a stripper, has just moved out of Blackie's apartment and into an upscale brothel run by the nefarious Lucille. But between the mob on one side and the cops on the other, Blackie has more to worry about than her aching heart--especially when she stumbles on a corpse in the men's room of the Candy Box. The faults of this plucky first novel are simply the faults of the genre that it mimics: stock characters and overheated prose. But Blackie and her immediate circle are well drawn, and her dilemma issatisfyingly resolved.Read more

Reviews (7)

better than your average butch
What's a drag kig to do when she finds a dead body in the bathroom?Torn between the mob, the cops, and deliciously different women, Blackie has a lot on her hands in this novel.The settings are impressively depicted, but the characters a bit stock.Overall, this one was worth waiting for, and I'm ready for another offering from this writer.

Thank you Lisa for your research!
So often, lesbian books are filled with adolescent cravings and sexual lust. This is a wonderful book that integrates lesbian sexuality with the reality of a specific time period. I loved the mystery and the history. I trusted the author in her research and I loved her ability to weave a tale. I think it has much to do with the author's research as well as her wonderful ability to write. We need more authors like this.Great talent is found here. Thank you for an interesting and informative read.

Under the pink
This thriller set in 1949's New York City stars a wild assortment of characters (heroes and lowlifes), and is a real page-turner. It centers mostly on Blackie Cole, a butch nightclub singer employed by the mafia, who discovers a dead man in the club. When the dead man's sister shows up, Blackie is torn between her growing desire for the uptown woman and her duty to her mob boss. And Blackie's ex-girlfriend isn't quite through with Blackie either. Through a series of mishaps, Blackie's mob boss thinks she's ratted him out, and targets her for elimination. I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and found it rather intoxicating at times. I felt the story as a whole was diluted by the tidal wave of characters populating the novel, some of whom were throwaways lasting a page or so. Some of these details became distracting to me because they seemed unnecessary by the book's end. Nevertheless, I would highly recommend "Under the Mink" not only to lesbians in search of a new romantic thriller, but also to anyone searching for a well-written and involving historical novel. Lisa Davis is certainly a writer worth reading. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Greenwich Village (New York, N    4. Greenwich Village (New York, N.Y.)    5. Historical fiction    6. Lesbian    7. Mystery & Detective - General    8. Mystery & Detective - Historical    9. Mystery fiction    10. Transvestites    11. Fiction / General    12. Literature of special Lesbian interest    13. Modern fiction   

Editorial Review

Fans of the lesbian detective Lauren Laurano and her lover Kip will be thrilled to learn of the fifth book in Scoppettone's much-loved series.Here are the familiar wisecracks and the hard-edged New York humor, but in a new setting, a Long Island resort town where two of Lauren and Kip's close friends have just moved. Their trip to North Fork is supposed to be a healing, romantic vacation--Lauren has even forsworn e-mail and the Internet in an attempt to rekindle the fire with Kip--but they haven't even ordered their first breakfast at the local diner when a stranger bursts in, announcing that a body has been found hanged in the woods.The dead man's cousin insists it can't be suicide.Over Kip's objections, Lauren plunges into the case, making enemies of almost every town official. Or is almost every town official trying to cover something up?The investigation unfolds against the backdrop of Kip's disappointment in her lover and Lauren's fears that their relationship can never recover the trust and passion it once had. Read more

Reviews (11)

The Best Laurano Yet!
In this fourth outing, Lauren Laurano, NYC private investigation, agrees to spend some time with friends at their new Long Island home helping to fix it up.Not exactly her idea of good time, but she's trying to mend fences with her lover Kip.When the opportunity arises for to accept an investigation into a murder ruled a suicide, she doesn't hesitate.Perhaps she should have.As Laurano investigates and discovers each new layer, things get uglier and uglier and even include an attempt on her life.She calls on Cecchi, a former NYPD detective with whom she is going to go into partnership, to help solve the murder.Kip, in the meantime, is still punishing her for an affair she had in the previous book.This has it all - good writing, a multi-layered plot, and good characterizations.Scoppettone is back in form!She has, unfortunately, also said that this is the last Lauren Laurano book - "I've said all I can about Lauren, Kip, and especially New York City."That's too bad.I'll miss Lauren, Kip, Cecchi, their friends, and Scoppettone's take on the Village and the City.

A real let down
I suspect Scoppotone wrote this just to resolve the Lauren/Kip/Alex triangle which came to ahead at the end of her last book. Poor plotline with many holes in it.
This book was very disappointing.The plot was non-existent and the dialogue one-dimensional. I thought pages had fallen out of my book at the end because I couldn't believe the way the murderer was revealed, withabsolutely no analysis of or connection to the clues.It seemed that theauthor decided that she had written enough pages to satisfy her editor, soshe just said "It's obvious to everyone that the murderer is[X].", and then ended the book with another silly scene between Kipand Lauren.I usually look forward to the next book in a series, but I wasnot sorry to read that she has no plans to add to this series.Maybeshe'll spend her free time going to some writing classes. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Lesbian    4. Mystery & Detective - Police Procedural    5. Mystery & Detective - Series    6. Mystery fiction    7. Mystery/Suspense    8. Crime & mystery    9. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General   

Reviews (5)

A good mystery
It's always a gamble to pick up a book by a new (to you) author. This is especially true with lesbian mysteries as I have found that there are alot of hits and misses in this genre. All in all I found this first installment of the Lauren Laurano mystery series to be enjoyable. Excellent; highly recommended
I discovered this book when it was very favorably reviewed in the Sunday New York Times.The reviewer described it as the first mainstream mystery featuring a lesbian which would appeal to everyone (regardless of sexual preference).Since it took place in Greenwich Village (where my office was temporarily located at the time), and I guess I was a little curious about the lesbian lifestyle, I bought it. wonderful book, bad translation!
When I read the first adventure of Lauren (in the french version, because I am french) I was very enthusiastic...I love books where you feel envolved, and when you cannot stop reading (sorry for my english!). So Idecide to buy the second one in Italy, where I leave. They sell me the 4thone telling me that it was the second (that what the review on the booksays!). This is the worst thing that they could do! I have to say that alsothe translation is AWFUL! No sense sentence, grammar errors.... So I boughtthe 2 intermediate books (can you imagine that?) in french. The translationis better than the italian one, but still have some errors. Isn't possibleto find a good translator, or a good spelling checker?I think I willbuy the fifth one in english, even if it is a harder job for me to read inenglish...At least I hope to read what Scoppettone writes!How can Iwrite an email to the writer? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    4. Laurano, Lauren (Fictitious ch    5. Laurano, Lauren (Fictitious character)    6. Lesbians    7. Mystery & Detective - General    8. Mystery/Suspense    9. New York    10. New York (State)    11. Women private investigators   

Subjects:  1. England    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    4. Lesbian    5. Lesbians    6. London    7. Martin, Saz (Fictitious character)    8. Mystery & Detective - General    9. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    10. Women private investigators    11. Crime & mystery   

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Lesbian    4. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    5. Mystery/Suspense   

Reviews (6)

Unlikable characters
A friend lent me this book and I was encouraged to read it out of my desire for plausible storylines and relatable characters in this genre. I couldn't have been more disappointed.The conversation is predictable and ridiculous, and the qualities the characters display make you began to wonder why these people would have anything to do with each other.I really wanted to like the main character, Jane Lawless, but she is someone that cannot be related to and who too often has events conveniently fall in place for her.Her actions make you think she feels entitled to do what she wants by believing in her excuses for constantly putting aside basic principles and expects the other characters to believe her excuses too (they do). These are the kind of people you steer clear from in everyday life, in all situations possible, and in books.
I'm sorry I wasted my money on this book
I rated this 1 star because there were no lesser options available.a minus 3 stars would be more appropriate. A twisting and turning book that anyonewould enjoy
I really enjoyed reading Ellen Hart's book Wicked Games she has is an excellent mystery author. I read the book for a project in my school and actually I read the book and with my suprise I really liked it . I really like the chachter Jane Lawless she shows to me what a real women is she has power and courage to face anything head on.All the chachters really have Wicked Games up there sleeves and that make sher book such an excellent book to read.I suggest this book to anyone who enjoys reading a good mystey book. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Lesbian    4. Mystery & Detective - General    5. Mystery & Detective - Series    6. Mystery fiction    7. Mystery/Suspense    8. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General