Tony Fennelly

3 1/2 stars
Yes, the mystery in this particular book is on the thin side, but it is an interesting discussion of what was happening in early 1991 with Desert Storm, what some people will do to preserve their secrets and social standing (or gain in social standing) and how viewpoints change over time about war and life in general.

Margo "Cherry" Fortier married Julian Fortier for his name, he married her to maintain a facade. It's an idea that even in the early 90s would have been old fashioned. Margo in an earlier part of her life was a stripper and it's because of this earlier life Detective Frank Washington of the New Orleans Police Department asks for her help when a skeleton is found secreted in a cedar closet at the back of the club where she used to work. Margo willingly takes the challenge, seeing it as an opportunity to finally get a proper feature and out of the society pages for the paper she works for. Before the end of the book, she reconnects with old friends, digs up more than one secret, gains a dog and helps to take down a drug dealing punk with enough meth to fill a warehouse.

Margo and Julian get accused of having a sham marriage during the course of the story when the magazine Southern Lavender threatens and follows through with outing Julian, much to his horror. (This was a popular and deplorable thing to do in the 90s especially among the politically motivated types. Though done with the best intentions, it often led (leads?) to a good deal of damage for the parties involved.) Margo isn't above voicing her feelings on the matter in the story and her best insult one in which she never uses the actual word:

Scorpus, a reporter on the phone: Mrs. Fortier, does your refusal to comment mean the charge is true? That your marriage is a sham?
Margo: That's preposterous!
Scorpus: Some people are saying that you don't have children because you're husband and wife in name only.
Margo: So at least we're not like your parents.
Scopus: What do you mean by that, Mrs. Fortier?
Margo: We're married.

I was a bit disappointed when Maddy Sinclair didn't show up in this book, but I do like Detective Washington (he shows up in both books).… (meer)

BOTTOM-LINE:
Well written
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
Margo Fortier, gossip columnist and snoop extraordinaire, knows a recent murder victim, thus giving Margo another shot to write some real news. The victim was a fake psychic that Margo met in astrology class.
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WHAT I LIKED:
Margo's relationship with Julian is refreshingly moved out of the house into the outside world as Julian chauffeurs her around. I liked the novel despite the fact that I didn't particularly care who-did-it, mostly because the behind-the-scenes look at the world of the psychics is so well done and interesting. Cute little twist at the end as well. I also loved numerous little quotes that made me laugh out loud.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
The plot is a little confusing at times trying to keep all the characters straight (no pun intended).
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, but I have interacted with her on social media.… (meer)

BOTTOM-LINE:
Decent story
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
Margo Fortier is a gossip columnist who longs to write real news. Her first break pops out of a wall when a hippie corpse from 20 years before is pulled out of a wall of a bar she worked at when she was young but far from innocent. Since she knows all the players from the time, she helps investigate along with the cop from the Sinclair novels.
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WHAT I LIKED:
Decent portrayal of characters who happen to be gay as opposed to caricatures of gay people, and the story never drags. The ending is nicely done as well.
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
More careful attention could have been paid to the real plot, as it is sometimes convoluted and hard to keep track of all the characters. Readers are also expected to believe that the main seven characters all still live in New Orleans twenty years later, even though they were all transiting through New Orleans 20 years before. Finally, Margo is a little too smug perhaps in the way she handles her first killer, one who has already killed two people.
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, but I have interacted with her on social media.… (meer)