Small Town Trouble
Deep Trouble
I thoroughly enjoyed both of these books, firmly set within the lesbian crime genre, with the required heroine, Kim Claypoole, a typical lesbian detective, unlucky in love, big drinker, dry wit, eclectic living situation and unwittingly getting herself into trouble, just as you would expect. That is where the clichés end; unusually these books are set in the smoky mountains rather than a big urban city with plenty of lesbians which brings for a very pleasing contrast and glimpse into the realities of life in a very small town.
In Small Town Trouble, I really enjoyed reading the sub plot, about the two gay dads who were doing their best to raise a child in the face of extreme prejudice without completely unravelling as a couple. The main crime plot was thrilling and a real page turner, I just had to keep reading to see what happened next and who was behind all the random murders.
Deep Trouble, was less original than the first with hillbilly counterfeiters as the main villains but it still had plenty of wit and enough drama that kept me gripped and I couldn’t stop reading until it was done. The characters in both books, are well developed not just our heroine but her mother how can you not love a woman who names her house Tara after Gone with the Wind especially when it is nothing like that grand structure. Kim has a not totally unexpected crazy family and many interesting women in her life. All of the characters, even the villains, are well written, three dimensional people who you can see and believe in.
These books are a welcome addition to the cadre of lesbian crime, they are anything but clichéd; they are funny and moving, offering an alternative view of a part of America that isn’t usually all that welcoming to gay people. Also let’s not forget that these books are thrillers and they are real page turners, as the stories unfolded I was gripped, unable to stop reading until I had found out what happened. Great summer reads and not that expensive on kindle right now. Enjoy!
Available from Amazon (from £1.91 each)
By Claire Estelle
