Reviews (4)

Great read.
This is a very enjoyable book.The main character, Kylie, is charming, cute and funny and being that she just moved to the U.S. from Australia, she has a lot to learn about how things work, which leads to moments of hilarity.I especially enjoyed Julia Roberts, the cat.She is Kylie's companion in the book and is just as much of a character as everyone else.The people that surround Kylie are entertaining in their own way and well developed.The love story just begins to develop near the end of the novel and I can only imagine it's going to steam up in the rest of the series.I am anxiously awaiting to read the rest of them and absolutely recommend this one.I immediately liked the main character, I laughed a lot and I like Claire McNab's writing style.

Best ever, now she got it
Claire finally got it in this one. As one of her frequent readers I really enjoyed the latest of her novels. Here she combined action with character and love interest. The love interest should be still more developed since it came too late in this novel (last page), but at least Claire McNab has touched that topic in her latest novel and did not leave it out like in all the Carol Ashton or Denise Cleever novels. Way to go Claire, that looks like a good mix. Continue!

Fun & Exciting!
I enjoyed this book a lot.I thought it was fun and exciting. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    2. Australians    3. California    4. Fiction    5. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    6. Inheritance and succession    7. Lesbian    8. Los Angeles    9. Mystery & Detective - General    10. Mystery/Suspense    11. Women private investigators    12. Crime & mystery    13. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General    14. Literature of special Lesbian interest   

Reviews (3)

"Enjoy!"
Claire McNab once again treats the reader to a microcosm of Los Angeles through the eyes of intrepid P.I. trainee Kylie Kendall, who's still feeling her way 'round SoCal, bumping into unexpected situations, characters and traffic jams with a style all her own.
an excellent quick read
The story with the superb sub-inter office story kept me wanting to read more and more.When I was done the only thing on my mind was when is the next Kylie Kendall mystery due out.......I hope soon.

Another bonzer book for McNab!
Claire McNab has written another brilliant, and brilliantly funny, Kylie Kendall mystery. They're getting better and better! The plot is good, the characters well delineated, the situations delightful, and, in short, this is her best yet!
Read more

Subjects:  1. Australians    2. California    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    5. Kendall, Kylie (Fictitious character)    6. Lesbian    7. Los Angeles    8. Mystery & Detective - General    9. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    10. Women private investigators    11. Fiction / Lesbian    12. Modern fiction   

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Lesbian    4. Mystery & Detective - General    5. Crime & mystery    6. Fiction / Lesbian   

Editorial Review

LAPD homicide detective Kate Delafield is shot in a routine drug bust.It's her first line-of-fire accident, but when it turns out that the bullet thatwinged her came not from the suspect's gun but from a police weapon, the casetakes on a different hue. Was Kate's injury the result of a bias against gaysand lesbians in the department? And how does it tie into the charges leviedagainst Luke Taggart, a cop whose partner, a closeted gay man, was killed inwhat he believes was a hate crime? Read more

Reviews (7)

Kate finds out she's human
Kate Delafied is shot and wounded in a "routine" bust. What really blows her mind is when she finds out that the bullet came not from the criminal but from one of her fellow officers, all of whom are loathe to speak to Kate which makes her even more cranky. Then out of the blue comes a request from Luke Taggert, who is accused of having killed a drug dealer in cold blood and he wants Kate as his advocate. Kate is initially unwilling to take the case but boredom and the inconsistencies she finds when she starts investigating keep her going. She is astonished when Taggert is less worried about his own fate and more concerned about the murder of his closeted partner Tony Ferrera, who was more like a brother than a partner to Luke. As Kate works on Taggert's case, she finds herself also looking into Tony's death as well. She finds that Tony made a computer disk of closeted gays that he intended to publish. THis makes the LAPD the prime target. Did one of them kill Tony to keep him quiet? and what of Luke's story. Kate begins to find it has more holes than swiss cheese. As an aside, I found her sparring with psychologist Calla very interesting and Calla's warning to Kate before she releases her to return to "light" duty shakes Kate and we can only hope she will listen. A lot is going in in this book and it is very complex and exciting.

Not the best in the series...
Of all the Delafield books, this was one of the weakest.Too manyintersecting stories to really keep up.Had a hard time believing Aimeewould be working so hard after the shooting.Worth reading for the sake ofkeeping up with the series.

Incredibly Boring
This book is definetely "no frills". The writing is terse, tense, clipped and unembellished to the point of tedium. Never again! ... Read more

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

Subjects:  1. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    2. Ashton, Carol (Fictitious character)    3. Fiction    4. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    5. Lesbians    6. Mystery & Detective - General    7. Mystery/Suspense    8. Policewomen   

Reviews (17)

Good reading
I found that this book held my attention and left you wanting more and not able to put it down for long periods. A good author for those who are not true book worms like myself.

REAL SUBSTANCE
If you are getting bored reading the same old tired detective/mystery stories, pick up the Mickey Knight series.As a previous reader wrote, you'll find mystery, romance, comedy, steamy sex, and plenty of action in the Mickey Knight novels. The author has created a strong character with depth, who is very human and vulnerable.Let me say this:MICKEY IS NO WIMP! The supporting characters are richly developed throughout the series and you'll care about them all.The author makes you feel as though you're moving through New Orleans with Mickey.I loved all 4 books and can't wait to see what comes next.Don't miss this top notched series.It is THE BEST written detective series featuring a lesbian.

Here comes Micky Knight
It's all here murder, mayhem, hot sex and beautiful women.This is the first in a series of four murder/suspense/mysteries featuring PI Michelle Knight.From the beginning when Knight is hired to help Karen Wentworth expose her ex-fiance, who is dancing at a gay bar, I was hooked.We have a police detective, an assistant DA and a doctor all linked to Mickey in some way and very important to the plot.Redmann knows New Orleans and shares it with us, albeit the seamier side. The story moves and takes the reader with it.We care what happens to our PI and her friends and the people who get pulled into the criminal happenings.Watch what happens with Cordelia James and her involvement with the happenings.And then read Deaths of Jocasta, The Intersection of Law and Desire, and Lost Daughters.Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - General    3. Lesbian    4. Mystery & Detective - Series    5. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    6. Crime & mystery   

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    3. Mystery & Detective - General    4. Mystery & Detective - Historical    5. Mystery & Detective - Series    6. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    7. Mystery/Suspense    8. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / Women Sleuths    9. Mystery; Fiction; Historical;Amateur detective; Phryne Fisher - fictional character; Australia; Twentieth Century - post-world War 1; Paris; Lesbians   

Editorial Review

Long before high-profile lesbian cops such as Laurie R. King'sKate Martinelli werefighting for our attention, a former Marine turned Los Angeles police detective named Kate Delafield wasdoing some quietly effective ground-breaking of her own under the expert guidance of Katherine V.Forrest. In Read more

Reviews (9)

Not for the squemish
Aimee Grant, Kate's partner, and a friend from Vietnam, Melanie conspire to get Kate to attend a 25th anniversary of people who worked together in Vietnam in 1968-1969, the most difficult time of the war. From previous Kate Delafied books, we know that Kate is reluctant to talk about this time, which puts a strain on her personal life. Even with Aimee, she can't talk about it. She wants to shelter her from the horrors and horror it is. If you know nothing about Vietnam, which I didn't this book is an education, especially about the contribution made by the women which is belitted even by the men who worked with them. In this book, we also get some insight into Aimee, which I found very interesting and I ended up liking Aimee even more than I did in Delafield's two previous books in which she appeared, "The Beverly Malibu" and "Murder by Tradition". Kate can't see that by not sharing with Aimee she is not protecting her but shutting her out. Although all the clues are there, the solution of the murder will probably be a surprise. The ending where Kate and her friends and Aimee visit the Vietnam War Memorial is very moving. Another fine selection in the Delafied series and a bit more insight into Kate's life, fears and experiences.

Not one of my favorites...
This book was not one of my favorites in the series but was a must read tokeep up with the on-going plot line of Delafield's life.Nice historicalreferences.

Forrest at her best
I think this book is absolutely the best of Katherine Forrest's work.It is well-written, emotionally engaging, the mystery is engrossing, and it gives attention to the role that women played in VietNam -- a rare subjectin US literature of any genre. ... Read more

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

Reviews (6)

Not a bad mystery
Ellen Hart's mysteries are a pleasure to read. They have great characters, a cozy setting, and wonderful descriptions of food! This book does not disappoint on any of the above. Despite being able to see the ending coming, I would still reccommend this a a good mystery. And it's nice to know that Jane has finally found a new love interest - as a lesbian I just wish that Ellen Hart would develop that aspect of Jane's character a little more. At times Jane just seems a little too assimilated.

Review of An Intimate Ghost by Cheri
Ellen Hart is the mistress of mystery. "An Intimate Ghost" is no exception to the wonders of the remarkably talented, award-winning author known for her intricate plots, witty dialogue, flawless characterizations, and engrossing stories. "An Intimate Ghost," the continuation of the Jane Lawless series, touted as the best one yet, has been deservedly nominated for a Lambda Literary Award and the Golden Crown Literary Society Award for 2005.
Midwest Book Review, April 2004 Issue
In this twelfth installment of the Jane Lawless mystery series, the opening prologue begins with a gripping kidnapping that takes place on Halloween in 1972. The circumstances of that prologue don't connect up for some time, but the shadow of the kidnapping hangs over the events that follow. In the present day, Jane Lawless is called to the location of a wedding her staff is catering. The guests are behaving oddly, and it quickly becomes clear that they've been poisoned with something hallucinogenic. The police come, and the wedding guests are rushed to the hospital, but not before the Nick, the bridegroom, is badly injured diving into an empty swimming pool. Jane is frantic. Not only is she upset that people have been injured after eating her catered food, but she also fears lawsuits. Who would do such a terrible thing? She can't believe her workers would have anything to do with it. Why has she been targeted?
Read more

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

Reviews (1)

OK, but not McNab's best
Murder at Random is very topical and starts out with an interesting story.A radical group called Righteous Scourge has advertised on its web site that it will pay people to commit acts of terrorism throughout Australia.The worse the act is, the more money the terrorist will be paid.When the attacks begin and an investigative reporter who was going to turn over information to the government is killed in a mysterious accident, Agent Denise Cleever is sent undercover to infiltrate a newspaper that seems to be getting inside information on the events before the government agencies are.While investigating the newspaper, Denise discovers that there are ties between the terrorists, the newspaper and a religious cult called Supremity.The three appear to be working together to bring down the government and insure that politicians under Supremity's control rise to power.Denise encounters distractions that could threaten her ability to do the job - a past lover who is still under suspicion for committing treason, a possibility of a new love interest and an estranged brother who suddenly reappears in her life.When she learns that the leader of Supremity wants to "gather" her into the group, she can't be sure if it means that she has finally won the trust of the inner circle or if her cover has been blown and she's being set up for an "accident" of her own.
Read more

Subjects:  1. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - General    4. Lesbian    5. Mystery & Detective - General    6. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    7. Crime & mystery   

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - General    3. Lesbian    4. Mystery & Detective - General    5. Popular American Fiction    6. Romance - Contemporary    7. Modern fiction   

Reviews (13)

Idaho Code - where family therapy comes with a shovel and an alibi.
"Everyone knows that Idaho is full of crackpots.The big secret is that not all of them belong to right-wing militias.Some are lesbian separatists, some are ex-hippies, and some are members of Wilhelmina "Bil" Hardy's immediate family."
Carl Hiaasen Meets Ellen DeGeneres and David Sedaris
This book is hilarious. From the opening scene where the heroine attempts to renew acquaintaince at a funeral with the daughter of the deceased while her mother is engaged in a loud cell phone conversation to the surprising denouement of the murder, you will be caught up in the antics of Bil's family and the town of Cowslip, populated by the Radical Faeries, the Lesbian Avengers, and Captain Schwartz's lesbian commune, gun club and baseball field.If this list seems too strange to be true, I dare you to read Idaho Code and marvel at the wealth of characters contained within its covers.I am a sucker for character-driven stories, especially when the characters are so rich they leap off the page and pummel you in the face.
Hilarious!
Idaho Code is quite different among other lesbian fictions. It's full of mystery and humor (oh, I can't count how many times I laughed out loud) and has more characters than many lesbian fictions have. The latter don't lead you away the main theme but rather enrich the story and give more depth in it.
Read more

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

Reviews (5)

A Horrid Example
This book is a "horrid example".
A double fault
You really have to love tennis or Rita Mae (or both) to stick with this one to the end. I am not a tennis fan so I skipped a lot of the play by play action. The story line was interesting though and if there had been less sports commentary and more interaction between the characters it would have been really great. Carmen is a spoiled brat and does not deserve the long suffering Harriett.

A Thinly-Veiled & Dull Bio ofBrown's Life With Navratilova
Even though this book was terrible, it starred lesbians, and that's got to count for something. Exactly 2 stars. ... Read more

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

Reviews (5)

disappointing, after all the hype
All in all, this book was dull and devoid of energy. The plot was convoluted, unnecessarily so in my opinion, and by the end felt like it was made so complex to cover up the lack of character development and growth. I felt no compulsion to keep reading because I pretty much knew how it would end. The characters felt like puppets being frogmarched through the plot-- there was no symbiosis between plot and character, no connection.
A bit of a slow starter - really three and a half stars.
Marcoux is an excellent writer, but the setup on this one was a bit slow.It did keep me reading, although I didn't find it a page-turner.About one third of the way in, the pace picked up and I found it harder to put down.Jessie Mercer is a complex and interesting writer/woman with some paranormal talents and the ability to tap into other levels of being; this makes her life complicated when her novels and research foreshadow events in her life.In this book she meeets many beings from her past lives and becomes entangled in their machinations.Hard to believe?Yes, but fascinating reading.One more look at the Merovingian 'heresy', but it isn't the focus of the book.It will be interesting to see where Marcoux takes Mercer from here.

Move over Dan Brown
This is so much better than the "DaVinci Code".
Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - General    3. General    4. Lesbian    5. Lesbians    6. Reincarnation    7. Science Fiction    8. Science Fiction - Adventure    9. Science Fiction And Fantasy    10. Suspense    11. Women novelists    12. Crime & mystery    13. Literature of special Lesbian interest   

Reviews (1)

Miller takes center stage.
In Death Off Stage, Carlene Miller has done superbly what she does best: create believable characters involved in an intricate plot in a realistic setting.With Tory Gordon and Tandy Byers she has introduced two strong females equally but disparately likable so that the reader cares what happens to them. Even more beautifully limned than the leads in this drama are the supporting characters, especially the women -- indomitable Miss Verda, sailor-mouthed Maxine, talented and lovely Selinda -- and many more. Every character in the book supports the theater adage that there are no small parts, only small actors; but Miller allows no small actors. This large cast becomes involved in a murder mystery so carefully plotted that it ravels and unravels like fishline or like a drama unfolding on stage.The intertwined lives of the characters produce many motives, means, and opportunities making a Gordian knot for Captain Gordon and the reader to slash through. Finally, Miller's homey small town setting sets the stage with realistic local color -- the community theater undergoing remodeling, the Shack with its inimitable chowder, the annual River Festival complete with raft race, and the Coffeepot where everyone exchanges the latest gossip. Lending depth to the story is the realistic feel for the challenge of lesbian life in Small Town, South. All together, the characters, plot, and setting make Death Off Stage Carlene Miller's best book to date. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Community theater    2. Fiction    3. Lesbians    4. Mystery & Detective - General    5. Mystery fiction    6. Mystery/Suspense    7. Women detectives   

Reviews (2)

Brilliantly crafted mystery
Again Dreher brings us to a place where we discover new worlds and a deep respect and love for our own creative powers and those of the larger realm. Shaman's Moon won the LAMBDA literary award this year for best lesbianmystery and it is a richly deserved honor. Finally, a book is honored thatexplores more than our sexual side. It must be her work as a clinicalpsychologist that enhances her compassion and empathy for her characters.This book is several cuts above the rest.

Alternative Empowerment
Sarah Dreher is one of the most well-intended authors I have read. Every novel presents us with endearing lesbian role models and situations that promote the healing and empowering of the lesbian psyche. For some, thisnovel could offend because that very empowerment comes at the expense ofJesus Christ and born-again Christians, but this is intentional and perhapsnecessary. The novel's power comes from the splicing of female-friendlypsychology and religion onto the campfire ghost story. Maybe Dreher fallsshort by replacing religious scepticism with shamanistic belief, but thereis no godless alternative that's any less a matter of belief as she so welldemonstrates in Stoner's inner struggles. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. American Mystery & Suspense Fiction    2. Fiction    3. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    4. Lesbian    5. Lesbians    6. Massachusetts    7. McTavish, Stoner (Fictitious c    8. McTavish, Stoner (Fictitious character)    9. Mystery & Detective - General    10. Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths    11. Mystery/Suspense    12. United States    13. Women detectives    14. Adventure / thriller    15. Crime & mystery    16. Literature of special Lesbian interest   

Reviews (5)

Great mystery and a reminder of past injustices
Owen Sinclair, a B-movie director is murdered in a hideous manner. This makes Kate Delafield think the murder was one of revenge. Through sleuthing, she finds that Sinclair was a "friendly witness" during the McCarthy witchhunt era. He spoke to HUAC (House un-American Activities Committee), which was the House arm of McCarthy's own Senate hearings. Hollywood was especially vulnerable at this time. Forrest skillfully weaves in information about that period through her characters but never allows it to overshadow the mystery. There are red herrings galore and Kate lets herself get emotionally involved with several of the people and there's even a romance in it for the lonely Kate who feels that she must protect the people she loves from the horrors of her job. She is also isolated because she is gay and must remain closeted to be able to do her job. The LAPD has a policy not unlike the military: Don't ask, don't tell. Every Delafield book reveals a new facet of Kate and this is no exception. If Forrest wrote mainstream detective mysteries rather than mysteries with a lesbian heroine, she would probably be as popular as P.D. James or Ellis Peters or Elizabeth Peters. It's unfortunate because all her mysteries are first-rate. As I said, the politics never get in the way of the story, although this book did introduce me to Scoundrel Time by Lillian Hellman, which I later bought.

Mystery and history
Forrest combines history with suspense and comes up with an interesting and very readable instalment in the Kate Delafield Mystery series. An unpopular tenant is poisoned in a slightly seedy apartment block peopled by Hollywood employees of the forties and fifties. These eccentric and enchanting characters bring to life the era of McCarthyism and the House Un-American Committee, as well as nostalgia for the glamorous Hollywood of that time. Of course, lesbian detective fiction wouldn't be complete without romance, and Kate Delafield finds that in the Beverly Malibu. This novel has a strong story line and keeps you guessing until the last moment - I recommend it.

One of the best...
This, along with Nightwood, is one of the best reads in the Delafieldseries.The murder plot and details are simple, as opposed to those inApparition Alley or Liberty Square, and the story of the new relationshipis unforgettable. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. California    2. Crimes against    3. Delafield, Kate (Fictitious ch    4. Delafield, Kate (Fictitious character)    5. Fiction    6. Fiction - Mystery/ Detective    7. Lesbian    8. Los Angeles    9. Motion picture producers and d    10. Motion picture producers and directors    11. Mystery & Detective - General    12. Mystery/Suspense    13. Police    14. Crime & mystery    15. Fiction / Mystery & Detective / General    16. General & Literary Fiction    17. Literature of special Lesbian interest   

Reviews (2)

Another worthwhile read from Sandra Scoppettone
Quirky, jokey, outrageous and fun.That's about how you'd describe this further account of Lauren Laurano's sleuthing exploits.While not as good as other Laurano outings, this one has a charm of its own and a story linethat is a real page-turner.I'd never leave unread any Scoppettone book Imight come across at the library.

Awesome!!
I think Sandra Scoppetone is great.Lauren gives Kinsey a runfor her money any day in my book.As fast as Sandra can write, I'llbe ready to read, keep Lauren and Kip together!! END ... Read more

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

Reviews (3)

Smart, Tenacious, Daring, Loyal and Class Conscious

This book holds fond memories!
This is the first book in Val McDermid's first published series, so by its very being it IS special. That said, at the time I read this, I had read many of her other books, and it was very, very different. It was much cuter.
Finally back in print-YES!
When her friend Paddy Callaghan, the headmistress of an exclusive girls school, asks Lindsay Gordon to write an article on fundraising, she reluctantly agrees. Even though she loathes spending time at the elite Derbyshire boarding school, Lindsay accepted the assignment because Paddy is an old school chum. Read more

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

Reviews (4)

Fascinating!
The other reviews have done justice to this wonderful book. However the overwhelmed feelings prompt me share my two cents about this book.
Speculative Fiction at its best! Review by Cheri Rosenberg
"Rangers at Roadsend," a murder mystery reminiscent of Agatha Christie, has crossed many genres including speculative fiction, fantasy, romance, and adventure. The story is an incredible whodunit that has something for everyone. Jane Fletcher, winner of the Golden Crown Literary Award 2005 for "Walls at Westernfort," has created an intelligent and compelling story where the reader easily gets drawn into the fascinating world of Celaeno, becomes totally absorbed in the well-designed plot, and finds herself completely enamored with the multi-faceted characters.
Excellent book!However, WARNING!! Previously released under different title.
I highly recommend this book and this series, especially for any lesbian sci-fi/fantasy fans.However, what the book won't tell you (but the publisher's website does) is that this book is "The Wrong Trail Knife".It's been re-published and re-released under a different name.So, if you've already read that one, I recommend moving onto "The Walls at Westernfort".That one is new.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - General    3. Lesbian    4. Popular American Fiction    5. Romance - General    6. Romance - Suspense    7. Science Fiction - General    8. Crime & mystery