Laurie King is a stylish writer, bur somehow I've tired of her. Liked Locked Rooms, but then the Mary Russell adventure after that seemed over-the-top in esoteric, obscure literary references and religious rites.I'd read and liked several of the Kate Martinelli mysteries, so after a rest of several years from King, I picked this one up.Very interesting plot -- there's a movement of "Ladies" who retaliate by killing men who have committed heinous crimes against women (rape, domestic violence, etc.) And one Bay area Indian family, which uses that spree of revenge crimes to cover up several household murders -- immolating a mail order bride they "purchased" from India for the oldest male's younger bro, who's of age, handsome, but mentally almost a child. The bride -- young, uneducated, but beautiful and innately smart villager -- turns out to be more independent and American-adaptable than the older bro-wife anticipated.Then, the couple goes one step further -- killing off the idiot bro, who has truly grown attached to his bride. They do so to inherit (via their children) the younger's bro's sizable financial assets.Kate of course, eventually sorts through it all.The secondary plot is the life Kate and her lover Lee (disabled after one of Kate's criminal cases spilled over into their private life.) They are firends with leading lesbians in town (including one female minister whose academic research into the blood-thirsty Indian goddess Kali inspires some feminists in town to establish the vigilante "Ladies" movement.Somehow I couldn't get into it all with the same fervor as the prior Martinelli novels.I confess that I merely skimmed the poetry and mythology references that King usex to head each chapter/section.
I admit it, I'm a hetrosexual, non-feminist woman, and not ashamed to say it. I'm not opposed to reading a good book written by or that are about homosexual, feminists women or men, but I do resent novels that masquerade as a mystery to be in reality an anti-male rant. This is my fourth Kate Martinelli novel, but it will probably be my last. I know King is a feminist but her views as projected through her characters in this book are anti-children(ironic since Kate and her partner are contemplating having a child), anti-men, and even anti-hetrosexual women. I found I lost track of the plot because there was too much of Kate's own personal thoughts and prejudices getting in the way of story. Such as, Kate laments those poor women, "burdened with children." Then there is Kate's observation, not so tongue in cheek, "that men should be drowned at birth" or that children especially male children should be raised by lesbian mothers.I had read King's previous three Martinelli books and mostly enjoyed them, but I wish I had read reviews before wasting my time and pique on this one. I'm glad I was not alone in my feelings about this book.
Do You like book Night Work (2000)?
I love all the Kate Martinelli books (so far I've loved everything I've read by Laurie R. King.She weaves the relationships of the book, the politics of the book, and the actual murder in the books with different ratios each time. Sometimes, the relationships or politics are more important or just more interesting than the murder but the entwine like an interesting, sometimes beautiful, melody. The politics are at the forefront in this book which I would find annoying on one page, than fascinating on the next. Unfortunately, as the relationships become more domesticated, I felt the books lost something. I still loved this book but I loved books 1-3 more.
—Paula
4.5 starsI'm not usually into mystery/crime novels, but a friend recommended this one, and I'm glad she did. Follows a lesbian police detective as she investigates the deaths of a serious of wife-beating husbands. The tie in of Kali and other ancient cultural deities was a bonus.Would have given it 5 stars, but the ending felt a bit rushed. At least it tied up all the loose ends nicely, though.Glad to see a novel whose main cast are homosexual and accurately portrayed as real people who often form family-like bonds with friends because of rejection from their birth family.
—Sarah
This is the fourth book in the Martinelli series and I have read them in order. I have enjoyed the other books but this one, I feel, got hung up in the Hindi Gods particularly Kali the female avenger god. The books main theme was about battered women. I feel that King missed a great opportunity to go more in depth on the subject and use the book to educate men and women on the complicated problem. Instead, she went into discussions about the Hindi God Kali and some other female Gods. The characters have almost become people to me and each book feels like I have stopped by for a visit to find out what is going on in their lives. I did relate to Roz and her problems sitting down to work on her doctorial dissertation. As with the other books in the series the book had some action, suspense and humor. King is an excellent descriptive writer and I enjoy her books overall. This is an audio-book and Alyssa Bresnahan did a good job narrating the book. Look forward to the next in the series
—Jean Poulos
