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Pentecost and Parker #2
Murder Under Her Skin
Stephen Spotswood hard-boils with the best of 'em! --Alan Bradley, bestselling author of the Flavia de Luce mystery series
Someone's put a blade in the back of the Amazing Tattooed Woman, and Willowjean "Will" Parker's former knife-throwing mentor has been stitched up for the crime. To uncover the truth, Will and her boss, world-famous detective Lillian Pentecost, travel south into a snakepit of old grudges, small-town crime, and secrets worth killing for.
New York, 1946: The last time Will Parker let a case get personal, she walked away with a broken face, a bruised ego, and the solemn promise never again to let her heart get in the way of her job. But she called Hart and Halloway's Travelling Circus and Sideshow home for five years, and Ruby Donner, the circus's tattooed ingenue, was her friend. To make matters worse the prime suspect is Valentin Kalishenko, the man who taught Will everything she knows about putting a knife where it needs to go.
To uncover the real killer and keep Kalishenko from a date with the electric chair, Will and Ms. Pentecost join the circus in sleepy Stoppard, Virginia, where the locals like their cocktails mild, the past buried, and big-city detectives not at all. The two swiftly find themselves lost in a funhouse of lies as Will begins to realize that her former circus compatriots aren't playing it straight, and that her murdered friend might have been hiding a lot of secrets beneath all that ink.
Dodging fistfights, firebombs, and flying lead, Will puts a lot more than her heart on the line in the search of the truth. Can she find it before someone stops her ticker for good?
Step right up! Murder Under Her Skin is a delightfully hardboiled high-wire act starring two daring heroines dead set on justice.
Someone's put a blade in the back of the Amazing Tattooed Woman, and Willowjean "Will" Parker's former knife-throwing mentor has been stitched up for the crime. To uncover the truth, Will and her boss, world-famous detective Lillian Pentecost, travel south into a snakepit of old grudges, small-town crime, and secrets worth killing for.
New York, 1946: The last time Will Parker let a case get personal, she walked away with a broken face, a bruised ego, and the solemn promise never again to let her heart get in the way of her job. But she called Hart and Halloway's Travelling Circus and Sideshow home for five years, and Ruby Donner, the circus's tattooed ingenue, was her friend. To make matters worse the prime suspect is Valentin Kalishenko, the man who taught Will everything she knows about putting a knife where it needs to go.
To uncover the real killer and keep Kalishenko from a date with the electric chair, Will and Ms. Pentecost join the circus in sleepy Stoppard, Virginia, where the locals like their cocktails mild, the past buried, and big-city detectives not at all. The two swiftly find themselves lost in a funhouse of lies as Will begins to realize that her former circus compatriots aren't playing it straight, and that her murdered friend might have been hiding a lot of secrets beneath all that ink.
Dodging fistfights, firebombs, and flying lead, Will puts a lot more than her heart on the line in the search of the truth. Can she find it before someone stops her ticker for good?
Step right up! Murder Under Her Skin is a delightfully hardboiled high-wire act starring two daring heroines dead set on justice.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published December 7, 2021
About the author
Stephen Spotswood
7 books512 followersStephen Spotswood is an award-winning playwright, journalist, and educator. As a journalist, he has spent much of the last two decades writing about the aftermath of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the struggles of wounded veterans. His dramatic work has been produced nationwide and includes Girl In The Red Corner (winner of the 2017 Helen Hayes Award for Best New Play), In The Forest She Grew Fangs, Doublewide, and more. His debut novel, Fortune Favors The Dead, will be released by Doubleday in October 2020. He makes his home in Washington, D.C., with his wife, young-adult author Jessica Spotswood.
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November 13, 2021
This is the sequel to Stephen Spotswood's Fortune Favours the Dead, a historical noir series set in New York, featuring the famous independent woman PI Lilian Pentecost, struggling with MS, and her 23 year old feisty assistant that she is training up, Willowjean 'Will' Parker, with her rather unusual skill set. It is 1946 and Lilian is testifying in a 'firebug' trial in which it looks like the perpetrator will walk free, but there is no chance of that once Lilian has finished with him. Will's past as a cirky girl is about to collide with her present as a detective when her former circus boss, Big Bob Halloway, of Hart and Halloway's Travelling Circus and Sideshow asks for their help. The Amazing Tattooed Woman, Ruby Donner, has been murdered, she was stabbed in the back with the knife belonging to Will's friend and mentor, the knife thrower Valentin Kalishenko.
Valentin has been arrested for Ruby's murder, which has Lilian and Will taking the train to the quiet town of Stoppard, Virginia, the place that Ruby had been raised in and could not wait to escape. The circus is playing to local crowds, and the New York detectives are staying with Ruby's uncle. The local police chief, Thomas Whiddle, 'welcomes' them, but lets them know he has the right murderer behind bars, but Will is absolutely convinced that Valentin is innocent, he would only kill to protect those who he loves and in self defence. Lilian takes a more pragmatic and objective stance, working on the premise everything, all the information they are gathering is relevant, until it is proved that it is not. There are vivid and rich details and descriptions of the circus performers and acts, as Will reacquaints herself with all those she regards as 'family', a family that had saved her. However, the circus is struggling financially to survive, and facing a wall of secrets and lies, can Will and Lilian uncover the truth in a dangerous investigation?
This is a thrilling and atmospheric read, with Spotswood providing a real circus-carnival flavour of the historical period and the economic difficulties faced by the circus communities at the time. The author fulfils the promise of the first book in the series with this follow up, there are a wide range of diverse and offbeat characters, Lilian and Will's relationship is a joy to observe, they complement each other well, particularly when they find themselves in challenging circumstances, as they operate in an era where women detectives were virtually unheard of. This is a warm, engaging and entertaining historical noir, witty, and written in the classic tradition of crime mysteries that is shaping into what is becoming a favourite series for me. Highly recommended to historical fiction and crime and mystery readers. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
Valentin has been arrested for Ruby's murder, which has Lilian and Will taking the train to the quiet town of Stoppard, Virginia, the place that Ruby had been raised in and could not wait to escape. The circus is playing to local crowds, and the New York detectives are staying with Ruby's uncle. The local police chief, Thomas Whiddle, 'welcomes' them, but lets them know he has the right murderer behind bars, but Will is absolutely convinced that Valentin is innocent, he would only kill to protect those who he loves and in self defence. Lilian takes a more pragmatic and objective stance, working on the premise everything, all the information they are gathering is relevant, until it is proved that it is not. There are vivid and rich details and descriptions of the circus performers and acts, as Will reacquaints herself with all those she regards as 'family', a family that had saved her. However, the circus is struggling financially to survive, and facing a wall of secrets and lies, can Will and Lilian uncover the truth in a dangerous investigation?
This is a thrilling and atmospheric read, with Spotswood providing a real circus-carnival flavour of the historical period and the economic difficulties faced by the circus communities at the time. The author fulfils the promise of the first book in the series with this follow up, there are a wide range of diverse and offbeat characters, Lilian and Will's relationship is a joy to observe, they complement each other well, particularly when they find themselves in challenging circumstances, as they operate in an era where women detectives were virtually unheard of. This is a warm, engaging and entertaining historical noir, witty, and written in the classic tradition of crime mysteries that is shaping into what is becoming a favourite series for me. Highly recommended to historical fiction and crime and mystery readers. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.
February 28, 2022
"'Are you undercover as someone's secretary?' one wit from the [New York] Times had asked me. 'You can sit on my lap and take dictation anytime, Parker.' I then showed him my favorite finger and quietly suggested he sit on that." -- private eye Willowjean 'Will' Parker, on page 5
When I chanced upon the debut Fortune Favors the Dead back in the spring of 2021 - thank you, Sinking Spring Public Library's new release shelf - I found it to be one of the better mysteries that I had read in some time. It seemed author Spotswood had borrowed stylistic touches from all sorts of crime-drama novels to effortlessly blend them into a pulpy work that succeeded with its characters, dialogue, 1940's setting and plot. The protagonists - an enthusiastic young private investigator-in-training and her respected mentor, who is physically incapacitated by health issues but possesses a sharp mind and wit - cracked their case and seemed ready to headline an on-going series. I eagerly composed a five-star review for Goodreads that concluded with "More of their stories, please!"
Well, the Big Apple-based private sleuths Willowjean 'Will' Parker (now fully accredited / titled as 'lead investigator' in Pentecost & Parker Investigations) and Lillian Pentecost return in the follow-up Murder Under Her Skin. This time the ladies journey to a small town in rural Virginia to assist local law enforcement with a murder investigation. However, this case is very personal in nature - both the victim and prime suspect are employees of a traveling circus that once employed Parker in her teenage years. Using effective first-person narration - a staple of private detective fiction, but not always done very well - the Parker character reveals more of her troubled backstory (which was hinted at in the debut) as she sincerely works to achieve justice for the victim and to free the likely wrongly-incarcerated suspect. Once again author Spotswood assembles a large cast of characters and structures a consistent narrative that is somehow both simultaneously old-fashioned and contemporary in its manner and feeling. That's probably not at all as easy as it looks or sounds, so I have to give the necessary plaudits to Spotswood - he's pleasingly establishing such a solid foundation for this series that I'm looking forward to the next installment with great anticipation.
P.S. - I want (need?!) a cinematic version of one of these books starring Julia Garner as Parker, and Nicole Kidman or Cate Blanchett as Ms. Pentecost. Or does anyone have different casting choices?
When I chanced upon the debut Fortune Favors the Dead back in the spring of 2021 - thank you, Sinking Spring Public Library's new release shelf - I found it to be one of the better mysteries that I had read in some time. It seemed author Spotswood had borrowed stylistic touches from all sorts of crime-drama novels to effortlessly blend them into a pulpy work that succeeded with its characters, dialogue, 1940's setting and plot. The protagonists - an enthusiastic young private investigator-in-training and her respected mentor, who is physically incapacitated by health issues but possesses a sharp mind and wit - cracked their case and seemed ready to headline an on-going series. I eagerly composed a five-star review for Goodreads that concluded with "More of their stories, please!"
Well, the Big Apple-based private sleuths Willowjean 'Will' Parker (now fully accredited / titled as 'lead investigator' in Pentecost & Parker Investigations) and Lillian Pentecost return in the follow-up Murder Under Her Skin. This time the ladies journey to a small town in rural Virginia to assist local law enforcement with a murder investigation. However, this case is very personal in nature - both the victim and prime suspect are employees of a traveling circus that once employed Parker in her teenage years. Using effective first-person narration - a staple of private detective fiction, but not always done very well - the Parker character reveals more of her troubled backstory (which was hinted at in the debut) as she sincerely works to achieve justice for the victim and to free the likely wrongly-incarcerated suspect. Once again author Spotswood assembles a large cast of characters and structures a consistent narrative that is somehow both simultaneously old-fashioned and contemporary in its manner and feeling. That's probably not at all as easy as it looks or sounds, so I have to give the necessary plaudits to Spotswood - he's pleasingly establishing such a solid foundation for this series that I'm looking forward to the next installment with great anticipation.
P.S. - I want (need?!) a cinematic version of one of these books starring Julia Garner as Parker, and Nicole Kidman or Cate Blanchett as Ms. Pentecost. Or does anyone have different casting choices?
January 7, 2022
“Murder Under Her Skin” is the highly anticipated sequel to Stephen Spotswood’s “Fortune Favors the Dead” in his Pentecost and Parker series.
This picks up just a few months after the events of “Fortune” in 1946. Willowjean (Will) Parker gets the news that her old circus friend Ruby Donner, The Amazing Tattooed Woman, has been murdered. To make matters worse, her former mentor, Valentin Kalishenko has been arrested for the murder. Will knows that Kalishenko would never kill someone in the circus family and it’ll be up to her and her boss, Lillian Pentecost, to figure out the real murderer. Adding to the problem is that the murder happens in Ruby’s hometown so anyone in town is a possible suspect as well as the people with the circus.
The mystery was a bit more compact here than in “Fortune” in that there’s really only the one mystery that’s needing to be solved this time. However, there are many different threads and elements that all come together to solve the case and I’ll admit that I was not clued in until Lillian Pentecost spit it out. Once the murderer is revealed I was able to see how there were clues that lead to the murderer(s) but Spotswood is so good at having us look right when we should be looking left instead.
While I did enjoy “Murder Under Her Skin” I felt that it lost a little of the charm that was in “Fortune” especially when it came to Will. This has a darker overtone and doesn’t have as much humor that I enjoyed before. I’m not sure if it was on purpose since this case is much more personal to Will but it definitely had a different feel than the first book. Also, Pentecost wasn’t around as much this time and I really missed her presence.
Although I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much, it is still an interesting and fun mystery to read. Will is still a fabulous character and I loved her thoughts and ideas about the world around her. I recommend this, especially if you read “Fortune” and I look forward to more of Pentecost and Parker in the future.
I received an ARC from Doubleday Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This picks up just a few months after the events of “Fortune” in 1946. Willowjean (Will) Parker gets the news that her old circus friend Ruby Donner, The Amazing Tattooed Woman, has been murdered. To make matters worse, her former mentor, Valentin Kalishenko has been arrested for the murder. Will knows that Kalishenko would never kill someone in the circus family and it’ll be up to her and her boss, Lillian Pentecost, to figure out the real murderer. Adding to the problem is that the murder happens in Ruby’s hometown so anyone in town is a possible suspect as well as the people with the circus.
The mystery was a bit more compact here than in “Fortune” in that there’s really only the one mystery that’s needing to be solved this time. However, there are many different threads and elements that all come together to solve the case and I’ll admit that I was not clued in until Lillian Pentecost spit it out. Once the murderer is revealed I was able to see how there were clues that lead to the murderer(s) but Spotswood is so good at having us look right when we should be looking left instead.
While I did enjoy “Murder Under Her Skin” I felt that it lost a little of the charm that was in “Fortune” especially when it came to Will. This has a darker overtone and doesn’t have as much humor that I enjoyed before. I’m not sure if it was on purpose since this case is much more personal to Will but it definitely had a different feel than the first book. Also, Pentecost wasn’t around as much this time and I really missed her presence.
Although I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much, it is still an interesting and fun mystery to read. Will is still a fabulous character and I loved her thoughts and ideas about the world around her. I recommend this, especially if you read “Fortune” and I look forward to more of Pentecost and Parker in the future.
I received an ARC from Doubleday Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 1, 2022
A circus, a murder, and lot more depth than I was expecting. This is a cozy/not cozy mystery series that needs to be on more people's radar!
Concept: ★★★★
Characters: ★★★★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★
Murder Under Her Skin is the second in a series, but frankly I started with this book and did not have any trouble picking up the plot or the characters. So consider this an entry point if you want!
Willowjean "Will" Parker works for Lillian Pentecost, a private detective in New York City area in the 1940s.
Ms. Pentecost is in her older middle age years, and still sharp as a tack mentally speaking, but her chronic multiple sclerosis makes certain parts of the private eye lifestyle harder for her. So she has Will.
Will used to work for the circus and now works for Ms. Pentecost. She's younger, fiesty, filled with plucky attitude, and our fearless narrator of these stories. (Think Watson.)
In this particular adventure, Will and Ms. Pentecost receive a very unusual call from Will's past—the circus that raised Will for years has a problem. A dead body problem.
Will and Ms. Pentecost head down South to solve a murder...
The dead woman is the marvelous Ruby Donner, the circus's tattooed woman. The supposed killer is their knife-thrower, Valentin "Val" Kalishenko.
The circus swears that it can't be one of their own, but Val can't remember that night due to his drinking problem. Everyone has clammed up, and the police are not interested in other theories—they're determined to bring justice to Ruby, as this particular circus stop is in Ruby's long-forgotten hometown.
To Ms. Pentecost and Will, this means the suspect pool is much, much bigger than the circus assumes...
Y'all. I loved this! Talk about a fun romp through the 1940s with some cutting modern-day retrospectives—racial tensions are addressed, societal treatment of women and marginalized groups are discussed, and Will herself is a proud bisexual woman. I loved the textured atmosphere of all of these blended elements, along with Ms. Pentecost's medical condition accurately portrayed and not used for "color" in the story.
The mystery itself was also clever, which I appreciated. Cozy mysteries aren't often very mysterious, as we're more on board for the character development, but I was pleasantly surprised by the twists of the ending.
A very witty, well-paced, and entertaining story. Looking forward to reading more in the series!
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Concept: ★★★★
Characters: ★★★★★
Plot/Pacing: ★★★
Murder Under Her Skin is the second in a series, but frankly I started with this book and did not have any trouble picking up the plot or the characters. So consider this an entry point if you want!
Willowjean "Will" Parker works for Lillian Pentecost, a private detective in New York City area in the 1940s.
Ms. Pentecost is in her older middle age years, and still sharp as a tack mentally speaking, but her chronic multiple sclerosis makes certain parts of the private eye lifestyle harder for her. So she has Will.
Will used to work for the circus and now works for Ms. Pentecost. She's younger, fiesty, filled with plucky attitude, and our fearless narrator of these stories. (Think Watson.)
In this particular adventure, Will and Ms. Pentecost receive a very unusual call from Will's past—the circus that raised Will for years has a problem. A dead body problem.
Will and Ms. Pentecost head down South to solve a murder...
The dead woman is the marvelous Ruby Donner, the circus's tattooed woman. The supposed killer is their knife-thrower, Valentin "Val" Kalishenko.
The circus swears that it can't be one of their own, but Val can't remember that night due to his drinking problem. Everyone has clammed up, and the police are not interested in other theories—they're determined to bring justice to Ruby, as this particular circus stop is in Ruby's long-forgotten hometown.
To Ms. Pentecost and Will, this means the suspect pool is much, much bigger than the circus assumes...
Y'all. I loved this! Talk about a fun romp through the 1940s with some cutting modern-day retrospectives—racial tensions are addressed, societal treatment of women and marginalized groups are discussed, and Will herself is a proud bisexual woman. I loved the textured atmosphere of all of these blended elements, along with Ms. Pentecost's medical condition accurately portrayed and not used for "color" in the story.
The mystery itself was also clever, which I appreciated. Cozy mysteries aren't often very mysterious, as we're more on board for the character development, but I was pleasantly surprised by the twists of the ending.
A very witty, well-paced, and entertaining story. Looking forward to reading more in the series!
Blog | Instagram
May 21, 2022
This is second in a mystery-type series. The first is alluded to and some events have consequences lasting into this one. The first is also a better introduction to the characters. I recommend reading them in order, but it's not strictly necessary as Spotswood does a good job catching you up. As far as I can tell at any rate.
This wasn't as strong as the first, on pretty much every dimension. The mystery was weaker, the investigation less directed, the character moments a little shallower. Or, at least that's how it felt to me. Which isn't to say it was bad, like, at all.
This one pulls our detectives to rural, um, Virginia? to defend one of Will's early mentors whose name is Russian so I'm not going to bother trying to spell it here. He has been arrested for murdering the circus tattooed lady (he's the circus knife thrower) on fairly flimsy evidence and the whole circus needs their help straightening things out in a small town that kinda wants them to take the fall for stuff. So you can see right away that this makes it harder for the noir elements to penetrate (though it mirrors a few Nero Wolfe stories with bucolic settings, including one with a fairground setting).
There are some good character moments and Spotswood excels at giving people layers. So, for example, the small-town sheriff is capable and surprisingly reasonable. And the love interest in this one is a good guy in a hard situation. So seeing Will navigate the small town characters was engaging and had some surprisingly good interactions. Less fun, but not-unexpected, were the overt instances of racism. It's easy to forget that folks thought little of a sign in their storefront preventing "coloreds" from entering. This element wasn't forefront, but it was jarring every time it entered a scene.
I liked the resolution and the couple of twists and that easy answers were as wrong as they ever are. Seeing Will with "her people" was also a nice touch, and doubly so for the growth opportunities as she comes to understand that she has moved on (and that they have, too).
I'm going to call this a solid four stars and my appreciation for a good follow-up to the first, even with the shifted tone due to setting. And, as before, I really love the relationship between Will and her mentor/genius Lillian. They make an outstanding team, even when Will can't quite bring herself to confide fully or wants to avoid a tough topic for a bit.
A note about Steamy: There's a single, reasonably explicit sex scene putting this on the low end of my steam tolerance. It isn't terribly explicit, either, so that's the low-low end if you want to grade that fine. I was intrigued that this time the interest was male, solidifying Will's bisexuality. She's amazingly well-integrated for her time period, which actually works for me better than if she had more period-expected insecurities.
This wasn't as strong as the first, on pretty much every dimension. The mystery was weaker, the investigation less directed, the character moments a little shallower. Or, at least that's how it felt to me. Which isn't to say it was bad, like, at all.
This one pulls our detectives to rural, um, Virginia? to defend one of Will's early mentors whose name is Russian so I'm not going to bother trying to spell it here. He has been arrested for murdering the circus tattooed lady (he's the circus knife thrower) on fairly flimsy evidence and the whole circus needs their help straightening things out in a small town that kinda wants them to take the fall for stuff. So you can see right away that this makes it harder for the noir elements to penetrate (though it mirrors a few Nero Wolfe stories with bucolic settings, including one with a fairground setting).
There are some good character moments and Spotswood excels at giving people layers. So, for example, the small-town sheriff is capable and surprisingly reasonable. And the love interest in this one is a good guy in a hard situation. So seeing Will navigate the small town characters was engaging and had some surprisingly good interactions. Less fun, but not-unexpected, were the overt instances of racism. It's easy to forget that folks thought little of a sign in their storefront preventing "coloreds" from entering. This element wasn't forefront, but it was jarring every time it entered a scene.
I liked the resolution and the couple of twists and that easy answers were as wrong as they ever are. Seeing Will with "her people" was also a nice touch, and doubly so for the growth opportunities as she comes to understand that she has moved on (and that they have, too).
I'm going to call this a solid four stars and my appreciation for a good follow-up to the first, even with the shifted tone due to setting. And, as before, I really love the relationship between Will and her mentor/genius Lillian. They make an outstanding team, even when Will can't quite bring herself to confide fully or wants to avoid a tough topic for a bit.
A note about Steamy: There's a single, reasonably explicit sex scene putting this on the low end of my steam tolerance. It isn't terribly explicit, either, so that's the low-low end if you want to grade that fine. I was intrigued that this time the interest was male, solidifying Will's bisexuality. She's amazingly well-integrated for her time period, which actually works for me better than if she had more period-expected insecurities.
February 13, 2022
Murder Under Her Skin by Stephen Spotswood is the second in his Pentecost and Parker (historial noir) series, and one I was really excited for.
Written from the pov of Willowjean ‘Will’ Parker, we pick up a few months after the events of the first book Fortune Favors the Dead. The year is 1946, and Will and her boss Lillian Pentecost are asked to investigate the murder of one of Will’s old circus buddies, Ruby Donner aka The Amazing Tatooed Woman. Her former mentor, knife thrower Valentin Kalishenko has been arrested as the prime suspect and so the clock is ticking for Pentecost and Parker to find out if he really did it.
I once caught a glimpse of Susan Hayward cutting her way through Times Square. As starlets went, she was far down my list of stunners. Still, she seemed to be alive in a way that the yokels surrounding her couldn’t match. That was Ruby.
A Technicolor girl in a black-and-white world.
Where the first book had a high gay content, this one was sadly a lot less sapphic. The carnival backdrop, however, was as atmospheric as I hoped for and the characters were great. I loved the solid and cleverly constructed murder mystery, and didn’t guess where it was going. There is a lot to unpack, especially for Will as her carnie past comes back in full force. Murder Under Her Skin felt less playful and a lot darker than the debut novel and I am curious to find out where Spotswood will take his heroines next. I highly recommend!
m/f sadly no saphic hook-ups for Willowjean this time
Themes: Stoppard Virginia, Hart and Halloway's Travelling Circus and Sideshow, MS, circus family, racism, heroin, economic malaise, daisies, Sideshow Alley.
4.5 Stars
Written from the pov of Willowjean ‘Will’ Parker, we pick up a few months after the events of the first book Fortune Favors the Dead. The year is 1946, and Will and her boss Lillian Pentecost are asked to investigate the murder of one of Will’s old circus buddies, Ruby Donner aka The Amazing Tatooed Woman. Her former mentor, knife thrower Valentin Kalishenko has been arrested as the prime suspect and so the clock is ticking for Pentecost and Parker to find out if he really did it.
I once caught a glimpse of Susan Hayward cutting her way through Times Square. As starlets went, she was far down my list of stunners. Still, she seemed to be alive in a way that the yokels surrounding her couldn’t match. That was Ruby.
A Technicolor girl in a black-and-white world.
Where the first book had a high gay content, this one was sadly a lot less sapphic. The carnival backdrop, however, was as atmospheric as I hoped for and the characters were great. I loved the solid and cleverly constructed murder mystery, and didn’t guess where it was going. There is a lot to unpack, especially for Will as her carnie past comes back in full force. Murder Under Her Skin felt less playful and a lot darker than the debut novel and I am curious to find out where Spotswood will take his heroines next. I highly recommend!
m/f sadly no saphic hook-ups for Willowjean this time
Themes: Stoppard Virginia, Hart and Halloway's Travelling Circus and Sideshow, MS, circus family, racism, heroin, economic malaise, daisies, Sideshow Alley.
4.5 Stars
July 18, 2023
дві чудові детективки знову з нами, надворі вже 1946 рік, повертаються скалічені ветерани Другої світової, в Америці ще багато расизму і упереджень.
після вдалої гучної справи у НЙ місіс Пентекост і Вілл вирушають у маленьке сонне містечко, де сталося вбивство. зарізали учасницю мандрівного цирку, подругу Вілл, жінку з татуйованим тілом. у вбивстві звинувачують важливу для Вілл людину, метальника ножів, тоді як дівчина вірить у його невиновність.
автору йшлося поговорити у цій книзі поміж іншого про учасників війни, про те як їх приймають у суспільстві, про загрози і спокуси, про пошуки місця в старому-новому світі світі. у книзі є ветеран Першої Світової, який уже багато років намагається налагодити життя, а є молодик, що лишень повернувся з Європи.
також мені прийшлося до душі уявлення про колектив цирку як про велику родину, де в обмеженому форматі, але можна бути собою незалежно від кольору шкіри чи сексуальних вподобань. щоправда, в усякої медалі дві сторони.
не буду приховувати, мене дратував Валентин Калішенко, білий росіянин, що втік в Америчку після революції і по приколу називає себе сином Распутіна. без нього було б значно краще + на сюжет його біографія впливає приблизно ніяк. ще є супер дивний момент, де виявляється, що дочка Калішенка всі ці роки не могла приїхати з СРСР, бо в неї не було грошів на квиток. ну так, знаєте, цей СРСР, де дочка білого офіцера-втікача могла просто купити квиток до Америки. автору б не завадило провести якийсь рісьорч у цей бік.
загалом враження від книжки хороші, читала її у відпустці, добре провела час.
після вдалої гучної справи у НЙ місіс Пентекост і Вілл вирушають у маленьке сонне містечко, де сталося вбивство. зарізали учасницю мандрівного цирку, подругу Вілл, жінку з татуйованим тілом. у вбивстві звинувачують важливу для Вілл людину, метальника ножів, тоді як дівчина вірить у його невиновність.
автору йшлося поговорити у цій книзі поміж іншого про учасників війни, про те як їх приймають у суспільстві, про загрози і спокуси, про пошуки місця в старому-новому світі світі. у книзі є ветеран Першої Світової, який уже багато років намагається налагодити життя, а є молодик, що лишень повернувся з Європи.
також мені прийшлося до душі уявлення про колектив цирку як про велику родину, де в обмеженому форматі, але можна бути собою незалежно від кольору шкіри чи сексуальних вподобань. щоправда, в усякої медалі дві сторони.
не буду приховувати, мене дратував Валентин Калішенко, білий росіянин, що втік в Америчку після революції і по приколу називає себе сином Распутіна. без нього було б значно краще + на сюжет його біографія впливає приблизно ніяк. ще є супер дивний момент, де виявляється, що дочка Калішенка всі ці роки не могла приїхати з СРСР, бо в неї не було грошів на квиток. ну так, знаєте, цей СРСР, де дочка білого офіцера-втікача могла просто купити квиток до Америки. автору б не завадило провести якийсь рісьорч у цей бік.
загалом враження від книжки хороші, читала її у відпустці, добре провела час.
March 29, 2022
3.5 not as good as the first book because not gay enough, not as smart or funny.. but still enjoyable cozy historical fiction mystery
December 12, 2021
Murder Under Her Skin offers a satisfying mystery. It also boasts two strong, female detectives: one older woman, Ms. Pentecost, balancing work and MS; and a younger woman, Willowjean "Will" Parker, who left home early and spent several years with a circus before joining Pentecost's detective agency.
On this case, they're pulled back to the circus that used to be Parker's home. Ruby, the Amazing Tattooed Lady, has been killed via a knife in the back, and local police are convinced it's the work of the circus' knife-thrower Valentin Kalishenko. Kalishenko was Will's mentor when she first joined the circus. Will was deeply infatuated with Ruby during her time there. So, when Will and Pentecost are asked to investigate with a goal of clearing Valentin, they're on the job immediately.
As I said, the mystery at the heart of this novel is satisfying—the novel also has a lot going on in addition to the mystery. There are issues of gender, sexuality, ableism, religion, and local politics. Stephen Spotswood gives readers a lot to think of beyond "who dunnit?"
This is a novel I can strongly recommend for anyone who enjoys mysteries and for anyone who enjoys novels with interesting casts of characters. The pace is brisk, there are enough red herrings to keep readers guessing, and the ending is surprising and moving.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
On this case, they're pulled back to the circus that used to be Parker's home. Ruby, the Amazing Tattooed Lady, has been killed via a knife in the back, and local police are convinced it's the work of the circus' knife-thrower Valentin Kalishenko. Kalishenko was Will's mentor when she first joined the circus. Will was deeply infatuated with Ruby during her time there. So, when Will and Pentecost are asked to investigate with a goal of clearing Valentin, they're on the job immediately.
As I said, the mystery at the heart of this novel is satisfying—the novel also has a lot going on in addition to the mystery. There are issues of gender, sexuality, ableism, religion, and local politics. Stephen Spotswood gives readers a lot to think of beyond "who dunnit?"
This is a novel I can strongly recommend for anyone who enjoys mysteries and for anyone who enjoys novels with interesting casts of characters. The pace is brisk, there are enough red herrings to keep readers guessing, and the ending is surprising and moving.
I received a free electronic review copy of this title from the publisher via NetGalley; the opinions are my own.
April 30, 2023
i find it hard to write reviews for series continuations especially if the books don't really follow an overarching plot but can basically be read as standalones
i still love will but i didn't care that much about the mystery. 3.5 stars
read as part of 202-Queer 🌈✨
april reading: 26/26
i still love will but i didn't care that much about the mystery. 3.5 stars
read as part of 202-Queer 🌈✨
april reading: 26/26
June 3, 2023
Цікава історія, легко читається, манера подачі історії дуже нагадує Конана Дойла🙂
August 29, 2023
Спочатку якось повільно тягнулося, проте далі сюжет розкрутився і стало цікаво добратися до розгадки.
В цій книжці більше про Вілл Паркер, адже ми потрапляємо в її минуле, коли вона була однією з мандрівного цирку. Автор все ще залишає завісу прикритою щодо начальниці Вілл — Лілліан Пентекост і того як вона стала геніальною детективкою. Ангажує таки читати третю частину про пригоди «двійко варяжок у спідницях». :))
В цій книжці більше про Вілл Паркер, адже ми потрапляємо в її минуле, коли вона була однією з мандрівного цирку. Автор все ще залишає завісу прикритою щодо начальниці Вілл — Лілліан Пентекост і того як вона стала геніальною детективкою. Ангажує таки читати третю частину про пригоди «двійко варяжок у спідницях». :))
January 13, 2022
Spotswood is having fun writing the Pentecost and Parker murder mystery novels taking place in 1946. This is his second offering featuring the two private eyes. Lillian Pentecost suffers multiple sclerosis but that doesn’t impact her powers of deductive reasoning. Willowjean Parker grew up in the circus and considered it her family. So, when her knife-throwing mentor Valentin Kalishenko is accused of murdering Ruby Donner, the tattooed lady, she is happy to accept the request for the two of them to investigate Ruby’s death. Spotswood continues to use his experience writing plays to pepper his characters’ dialogue with fast-paced witticisms that could easily grace a stage performance.
January 22, 2023
A sort of 'madcap murder mystery,' but I liked it.
The second in the Pentecost and Parker mysteries, set shortly after WW2. So think women in 'slacks,' maybe, and men in hats always. Willowjean parker, who ran away from home to join the circus at age fifteen is now in her early twenties and working with/for famed NYC (female) PI, Lillian Pentecost. Lillian's 'older,' has MS, which is frequently mentioned throughout; Willowjean is plucky, smart, tomboyish, and apt to fall in (brief) love with anything good-looking. The pair play off each other in many ways: Lillian prim and proper, immaculately attired, extremely well-educated; Willowjean the opposite. (They're as good a working pair as another in one of my fav. series, the John May and Arthur Bryant books by Christopher Fowler.)
I read the first in this series just recently. It was exemplary. This one is just as good.
One of Willowjean's former circus pals, the tatooed lady, has been murdered, stabbed through the back with a knife. So who do you expect the local authorities to suspect? The knife-thrower, of course! But there's a host of other interesting, unique, and quite fantastic individuals also to consider. Lillian and Willowjean take a train to where the circus is now planted, find a place to stay and start their 'sleuthing.' The knife-thrower's in jail and the local sheriff, who's mighty prejudiced against almost anything and everyone, is none-too-eager to help the two detectives, so where do you go from here...
There is A LOT in this book. Clues, spoilers, red herrings, atmosphere. The circus is one of the down and dirty ones, with all the regulars existing like one big friendly/rowdy family. Willowjean uses her past, her wit, her smarts to figure out what's going on. She never sits still.
The writing is very good: you smell the circus. You smell the smelly, musty bed Willowjean sleeps in - provided by the dead woman's uncle. You feel the heat, the manure, the entire atmosphere and since I've been to a few small, traveling circuses in my lifetime, all of this rings true. (My parents dragged me to a few when I was young, but I was never a big fan. The horses always looked well-used and if you caught sight of a performer out of the ring, they always looked miserable and exhausted. The games were rigged and the sideshows were full of drunks. Vomit here and there and animals looking miserable in cages. Yes, even as a child I noticed all this and complained about it. My family's response: You do NOT know how to have fun!)
Back to the story...
There's drug use here, shoot-outs, romance in a hay loft. Bad guys, good guys, and lots of quick, exciting moments which move this book along. I'm picking up Book No. 3 soon as I can.
Five stars
The second in the Pentecost and Parker mysteries, set shortly after WW2. So think women in 'slacks,' maybe, and men in hats always. Willowjean parker, who ran away from home to join the circus at age fifteen is now in her early twenties and working with/for famed NYC (female) PI, Lillian Pentecost. Lillian's 'older,' has MS, which is frequently mentioned throughout; Willowjean is plucky, smart, tomboyish, and apt to fall in (brief) love with anything good-looking. The pair play off each other in many ways: Lillian prim and proper, immaculately attired, extremely well-educated; Willowjean the opposite. (They're as good a working pair as another in one of my fav. series, the John May and Arthur Bryant books by Christopher Fowler.)
I read the first in this series just recently. It was exemplary. This one is just as good.
One of Willowjean's former circus pals, the tatooed lady, has been murdered, stabbed through the back with a knife. So who do you expect the local authorities to suspect? The knife-thrower, of course! But there's a host of other interesting, unique, and quite fantastic individuals also to consider. Lillian and Willowjean take a train to where the circus is now planted, find a place to stay and start their 'sleuthing.' The knife-thrower's in jail and the local sheriff, who's mighty prejudiced against almost anything and everyone, is none-too-eager to help the two detectives, so where do you go from here...
There is A LOT in this book. Clues, spoilers, red herrings, atmosphere. The circus is one of the down and dirty ones, with all the regulars existing like one big friendly/rowdy family. Willowjean uses her past, her wit, her smarts to figure out what's going on. She never sits still.
The writing is very good: you smell the circus. You smell the smelly, musty bed Willowjean sleeps in - provided by the dead woman's uncle. You feel the heat, the manure, the entire atmosphere and since I've been to a few small, traveling circuses in my lifetime, all of this rings true. (My parents dragged me to a few when I was young, but I was never a big fan. The horses always looked well-used and if you caught sight of a performer out of the ring, they always looked miserable and exhausted. The games were rigged and the sideshows were full of drunks. Vomit here and there and animals looking miserable in cages. Yes, even as a child I noticed all this and complained about it. My family's response: You do NOT know how to have fun!)
Back to the story...
There's drug use here, shoot-outs, romance in a hay loft. Bad guys, good guys, and lots of quick, exciting moments which move this book along. I'm picking up Book No. 3 soon as I can.
Five stars
October 28, 2023
Entertaining whodunit, something light and easy.
June 5, 2022
I have not read the first book in this series, but I did not feel as if I had missed anything starting with the second book. I really enjoyed this one, it was a fantastic premise that was very well executed. Will Parker was previously a part of Hart and Halloway’s Traveling Circus and Sideshow for 5 years, and is now currently a part of the police force who has been called back to the circus to investigate the murder of Ruby Donner, the circus tattoed ingenue, who was also her friend. The prime suspect is Valentin Kalishenko, who happens to be the man who taught Will everything about where to put a knife where it needs to go.
Will and Ms. Pentecost join the circus in order to conduct their investigation, and I was thoroughly entertained by all of the exchanges here. This was an absolutely fantastic read, I enjoyed going along with Ms. Pentecost and Will to try and solve this case. So many red herrings and things to sort through, but I was excited for them when they did finally solve it! I cannot wait for the next book to come out already, I thoroughly enjoyed this one!
Thank you to Doubleday Books for the finished copy to review. This one is available now!
Will and Ms. Pentecost join the circus in order to conduct their investigation, and I was thoroughly entertained by all of the exchanges here. This was an absolutely fantastic read, I enjoyed going along with Ms. Pentecost and Will to try and solve this case. So many red herrings and things to sort through, but I was excited for them when they did finally solve it! I cannot wait for the next book to come out already, I thoroughly enjoyed this one!
Thank you to Doubleday Books for the finished copy to review. This one is available now!
December 1, 2021
This is the second in the Pentecost and Parker Mystery Series by Stephen Spotswood, a series that is uniquely hardboiled, considering the gender of the detectives, with just enough rye humor to keep it from becoming too heavy-handed. The mystery starts when people from Willowjean’s old life in the circus need the services she and her boss have cultivated in her new life as chief investigator for the Pentecost and Parker Agency. While Willowjean isn’t sure she likes the idea of the two separate lives becoming better acquainted, she’s equally sure her old friend and mentor, the knife throwing Kalishenko, couldn’t possibly have murdered their mutual circus member, Ruby, The Tattooed Lady. However, Kalishinko is in jail in a small town in North Carolina and Willowjean, along with Ms. Pentecost, heed the call for help.
Spotswood weaves the life and unique world of the circus in and out of the story with a deft hand. Willowjean is certain Ruby was murdered by someone local as circus people consider each other family and no one in the family would murder anyone else. Would they? As the investigation continues schisms in the family condition appear. There are also plenty of in the small North Carolina town where Ruby was raised including her old flame, his family, all members of the independent church in town. In addition to the suspects, there are numerous characters who have good depth and provide excellent additions to the main story. Each one is well developed, no matter how briefly they appear in the book.
The reader has ample opportunity to solve the mystery but may get so wrapped up in the story they decide not to worry about it and just enjoy the book. Spotswood does an excellent job of verbal sleight of hand, drawing your attention in one direction while dangling the truth just under your nose.
This mystery stands alone, and it is not necessary to have read the first one to thoroughly enjoy this book or to understand the relationship between Pentecost and Parker. There are some references to the first book which may pique your interest and have you going back to read it as well both because it is another good mystery and because it gives more insight into Pentecost and Parker. Doubleday books provided me with an advance copy of the book for this review. The opinions stated here are completely my own.
Full review: https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/mu...
Spotswood weaves the life and unique world of the circus in and out of the story with a deft hand. Willowjean is certain Ruby was murdered by someone local as circus people consider each other family and no one in the family would murder anyone else. Would they? As the investigation continues schisms in the family condition appear. There are also plenty of in the small North Carolina town where Ruby was raised including her old flame, his family, all members of the independent church in town. In addition to the suspects, there are numerous characters who have good depth and provide excellent additions to the main story. Each one is well developed, no matter how briefly they appear in the book.
The reader has ample opportunity to solve the mystery but may get so wrapped up in the story they decide not to worry about it and just enjoy the book. Spotswood does an excellent job of verbal sleight of hand, drawing your attention in one direction while dangling the truth just under your nose.
This mystery stands alone, and it is not necessary to have read the first one to thoroughly enjoy this book or to understand the relationship between Pentecost and Parker. There are some references to the first book which may pique your interest and have you going back to read it as well both because it is another good mystery and because it gives more insight into Pentecost and Parker. Doubleday books provided me with an advance copy of the book for this review. The opinions stated here are completely my own.
Full review: https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/mu...
February 12, 2023
3.5 - I feel the same way about this book as I did with Fortune Favors the Dead, the first book in the Pentecost and Parker series. I think the characters are compelling but the mysteries themselves aren’t the most interesting parts of the book. It’s fun following a famous woman detective in the 1940s and her bisexual former circus worker sidekick. Especially in this book it was cool to have the main mystery involve people that Will knew back when she worked in the circus. Getting more of her history kept me engaged with the story even when I wasn’t all that invested in finding out the answer to the main mystery plot.
January 2, 2023
MURDER UNDER HER SKIN
Stephen Spotswood
First, I wasn't aware this was a series or that the characters were gay when I started. But not starting at the first book in the series didn't change anything for me. I enjoyed the book's circus atmosphere and the time period of the late 40s was just what I needed. I also loved the traveling circus idea and this was just so much fun.
I loved Will Parker and Ms. Pentecost as well as all of the characters. I was sad that Ruby Donner was the victim, I think she would have been great as a functioning character in the story and I would have gladly sacrificed any of the others. I also enjoyed Valentin Kalishenko who was a blade thrower and quite the mentor to Will when she was young and a member of the circus.
Personally, I love the "Sam Spade" atmosphere of the book and all of the wisecracks and snarky conversation and thoughts. Quite an enjoyable read.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
Stephen Spotswood
First, I wasn't aware this was a series or that the characters were gay when I started. But not starting at the first book in the series didn't change anything for me. I enjoyed the book's circus atmosphere and the time period of the late 40s was just what I needed. I also loved the traveling circus idea and this was just so much fun.
I loved Will Parker and Ms. Pentecost as well as all of the characters. I was sad that Ruby Donner was the victim, I think she would have been great as a functioning character in the story and I would have gladly sacrificed any of the others. I also enjoyed Valentin Kalishenko who was a blade thrower and quite the mentor to Will when she was young and a member of the circus.
Personally, I love the "Sam Spade" atmosphere of the book and all of the wisecracks and snarky conversation and thoughts. Quite an enjoyable read.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
September 9, 2023
Чудова детективна серія книг. Друга мені сподобалась не менше, ніж перша. Гг, Вілл Паркер, мене заворожує. Нею керує злість, але вона, в той же час, повна емпатії, любові та іронії. А ще в книжках дуже багато дотепних жартів. Через це вони сприймаються легко і весело. Раджу для розради😊
January 6, 2022
We head back to Will’s roots as she and Lillian take on a case involving Will’s former mentor, Valentin Kalishenko. He has been accused of murdering Ruby Donner, the circus’ “Amazing Tattooed Woman”. The evidence is damning as one of Valentin’s knives was used and the townfolk of Stoppard, Virginia, prefer to blame the carny.
Hart and Halloway’s Travelling Circus and Sideshow’s Attractions was quite the colorful place, and it was interesting to see where Will learned her deadly skills, but it was equally interesting seeing her interact as we learned about her past.
It’s a troubling case, even if the evidence is circumstantial. Valentin leaves his knives out in the open, but the lack of an alibi means Will and Lillian need to find answers fast. The local police chief, Thomas Whiddle, welcomes them but makes it clear he has the murder behind bars.
Links to the town and Ruby widens the suspect list. I loved how Pentecost and Parker approached this case. Lillian is pragmatic, while Will goes on instinct. After all, Valentin was her mentor. Fans of hard-boiled detective work and Noir will find themselves immersed in the case.
I loved seeing Pentecost out of her element and Will returning to her roots. The author did a splendid job of showcasing their views, outlooks, and how much Will has changed.
The author brought the sights and sounds of a 40s traveling circus to life. I enjoyed the detailed and atmospheric descriptions. He really allows the reader/listener to slip back in time.
Once again, I listened to the audiobook performed by Kirsten Potter. From her tone to the voices she creates, she enhances the tale, bring the sights and sounds of the case and circus to live.
I cannot recommend this series enough to fans of hard-boiled detective mysteries, Sherlock Holmes, and Agatha Christie mysteries. I cannot wait for the next case! Stephen Spotswood has earned a spot on my must-listen list. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
Hart and Halloway’s Travelling Circus and Sideshow’s Attractions was quite the colorful place, and it was interesting to see where Will learned her deadly skills, but it was equally interesting seeing her interact as we learned about her past.
It’s a troubling case, even if the evidence is circumstantial. Valentin leaves his knives out in the open, but the lack of an alibi means Will and Lillian need to find answers fast. The local police chief, Thomas Whiddle, welcomes them but makes it clear he has the murder behind bars.
Links to the town and Ruby widens the suspect list. I loved how Pentecost and Parker approached this case. Lillian is pragmatic, while Will goes on instinct. After all, Valentin was her mentor. Fans of hard-boiled detective work and Noir will find themselves immersed in the case.
I loved seeing Pentecost out of her element and Will returning to her roots. The author did a splendid job of showcasing their views, outlooks, and how much Will has changed.
The author brought the sights and sounds of a 40s traveling circus to life. I enjoyed the detailed and atmospheric descriptions. He really allows the reader/listener to slip back in time.
Once again, I listened to the audiobook performed by Kirsten Potter. From her tone to the voices she creates, she enhances the tale, bring the sights and sounds of the case and circus to live.
I cannot recommend this series enough to fans of hard-boiled detective mysteries, Sherlock Holmes, and Agatha Christie mysteries. I cannot wait for the next case! Stephen Spotswood has earned a spot on my must-listen list. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
July 24, 2023
I know I’ve said this before but these books are just FUN. I grew up reading Nancy Drew and Agatha Christie and the Pentecost & Parker books have a very similar vibe.
July 17, 2022
Book #2 in the Pentecost and Parker series. Will Parker's past comes back to haunt her as her former travelling circus boss, Big Bob Halloway asks for help from their detective agency. The Amazing Tattooed Woman, Ruby Donner, has been murdered, stabbed in the back with a knife belonging to Will's friend/mentor, knife thrower Valentin Kalishenko. He had blacked out and said it was possible that he killed Ruby because Ruby was meddling in his private life. The two detectives travel south to meet the circus people, and we learn much about Will's life as a roustabout and how she was adopted by the circus family. Will digs into people's lives, and a fire almost ruins everything, but her persistence eventually uncovers the reason for the murder and the murderer. Quirky but fun.
December 19, 2021
I really liked the first entry in this series. I loved Will's voice, I cared for her and for her boss Lilian Pentecost and I thought it mostly offered a very satisfying mystery. I thought this book was just as well executed as the first one, and I still liked Will and her boss very much. Unfortunately I cannot say that I found the mystery even mostly satisfying. As blurb tells you our detective and her sidekick travel to investigate the murder of the circus employee while another circus employee seems to be falsely accused of the said murder. Or is the accusation in fact false? Knife thrower Mr. Kalishenko does not really remember if he murdered Ruby or not, because he was completely drunk.
Let me be very clear, I thought the mystery plot was just as well thought out as in the first book. The author certainly spends enough time on showing how the main characters actually attempt to *investigate* the murder and normally I am very happy when the author does not skip the investigation part . Will and Ms. Pentecost talk to *a lot* of people trying to figure out what actually happened during the night of the murder and what they uncover certainly seemed bigger than what they bargained for, but also made perfect sense.
And I was still bored when I was reading probably the first half of the book, or maybe I started to get bored when I was reading about the investigation at the place where circus stayed. I tried to figure out why that happened, because again, normally it is very much my cup of tea and certainly it was written with the great deal of writing skill. The most I could come up with was that I simply did not care about any of those people, including the victim and the person who was accused of her murder. Oh I know that they were all connected to Will's past and from her mentioning the morsels from her past to was pretty clear that they shaped her in the person she was . But what she mentioned before was just not enough for me to care, so it took awhile for me to start caring .
In the second part of the book tension picked up and some events started to happen and I did not put down the book anymore. I had in the beginning - once or twice.
I was pleased with the resolution, but can't help but hope that next book will find Will and Lillian back in New York.
Let me be very clear, I thought the mystery plot was just as well thought out as in the first book. The author certainly spends enough time on showing how the main characters actually attempt to *investigate* the murder and normally I am very happy when the author does not skip the investigation part . Will and Ms. Pentecost talk to *a lot* of people trying to figure out what actually happened during the night of the murder and what they uncover certainly seemed bigger than what they bargained for, but also made perfect sense.
And I was still bored when I was reading probably the first half of the book, or maybe I started to get bored when I was reading about the investigation at the place where circus stayed. I tried to figure out why that happened, because again, normally it is very much my cup of tea and certainly it was written with the great deal of writing skill. The most I could come up with was that I simply did not care about any of those people, including the victim and the person who was accused of her murder. Oh I know that they were all connected to Will's past and from her mentioning the morsels from her past to was pretty clear that they shaped her in the person she was . But what she mentioned before was just not enough for me to care, so it took awhile for me to start caring .
In the second part of the book tension picked up and some events started to happen and I did not put down the book anymore. I had in the beginning - once or twice.
I was pleased with the resolution, but can't help but hope that next book will find Will and Lillian back in New York.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2022
Another excellent book.
We get to know more of Will's past, as this time the case takes her and Ms Pentecost to the circus where she grew up and to the people who helped her when she needed it the most. And who provided her with some of her amazing training :P
The victim, Ruby, is from the town where the circus is performing when the murder happens. And the main suspect is Val, the Russian knife-thrower who was one of Will's mentors. So, yes, this case is deeply personal for Will.
The story is very atmospheric, we can almost smell the animals and hear the children screaming with delight. But it's not a romanticized vision of the circus, we are witness to the economical struggle they are facing at the time, the little feuds and grudges. But the loyalty and sense of family are there too. And Will is struggling to understand that they are not their family anymore. Now, she's a detective, an outsider. They are all happy to see her doing well, they still love her, but it's not the same.
The mystery, so entangled with the lives of those who are still living in town, with Ruby's past and with who she is now. But it's also a crime product of its time. So good!
And the writing it's excellent. I can't wait for the next story in this series!
We get to know more of Will's past, as this time the case takes her and Ms Pentecost to the circus where she grew up and to the people who helped her when she needed it the most. And who provided her with some of her amazing training :P
The victim, Ruby, is from the town where the circus is performing when the murder happens. And the main suspect is Val, the Russian knife-thrower who was one of Will's mentors. So, yes, this case is deeply personal for Will.
The story is very atmospheric, we can almost smell the animals and hear the children screaming with delight. But it's not a romanticized vision of the circus, we are witness to the economical struggle they are facing at the time, the little feuds and grudges. But the loyalty and sense of family are there too. And Will is struggling to understand that they are not their family anymore. Now, she's a detective, an outsider. They are all happy to see her doing well, they still love her, but it's not the same.
The mystery, so entangled with the lives of those who are still living in town, with Ruby's past and with who she is now. But it's also a crime product of its time. So good!
And the writing it's excellent. I can't wait for the next story in this series!
August 22, 2022
3 1/2 stars. This is a hard-boiled noir type mystery story starring two women detectives (they are not a couple though there are LGBQ elements in other relationships) in the 1940s during the dying days of traveling circuses with side shows. Will Parker spent five years with the Hart & Halloway Traveling Circus and when one of their members is murdered and another one charged with the crime, she is quick to get her partner to take the case.
This book is filled with unusual characters as you would expect in a circus but also a surprisingly not so narrow-minded Sheriff but prejudices are ripe as you would expect in this time period. It is a solid mystery with some action and surprises. It really shines with the characters, particularly with Will as she sees how she and the people she left behind in the circus have changed and grown.
Second in a series, I didn't read the first and didn't feel the lack of it in this book. It is easy enough to understand what is going on but I am intrigued enough to go out and find the first.
This book is filled with unusual characters as you would expect in a circus but also a surprisingly not so narrow-minded Sheriff but prejudices are ripe as you would expect in this time period. It is a solid mystery with some action and surprises. It really shines with the characters, particularly with Will as she sees how she and the people she left behind in the circus have changed and grown.
Second in a series, I didn't read the first and didn't feel the lack of it in this book. It is easy enough to understand what is going on but I am intrigued enough to go out and find the first.
April 27, 2023
Насправді 4,5 ⭐
Але все одно сподобалось! Місцями трохи затягнуто (якби моя воля, я б скоротила б так сторінок на 100 ☺), але кінець дуже крутий, однозначно краще аніж у першій книзі. Якщо там, в "Удача любить мертвих" ближче до кінця, я таки відгадала вбивцю, то в цій частині - нізащо не вгалала б (цю людину я навіть не особливо не помітила по сюжету, не те, щоб підозрювати 😱 а дарма)
Детективна складова, як завжди, бездоганна, деталі продумані, ні до чого не прикопаєшся 😁 кінець був напружений
Ба більше, тут навіть сцена сексу є 😅 (правда без подробиць..)
Єдине, що трохи розчарувало, так це те, що я очікувала тут ще зустріти оту "професорку" з першої частини, але тут ні слова про це...шкода
І тепер, дочитавши, трохи не розумію назву роману...🤔
Але дуже хочу читати далі цей цикл🥰
Але все одно сподобалось! Місцями трохи затягнуто (якби моя воля, я б скоротила б так сторінок на 100 ☺), але кінець дуже крутий, однозначно краще аніж у першій книзі. Якщо там, в "Удача любить мертвих" ближче до кінця, я таки відгадала вбивцю, то в цій частині - нізащо не вгалала б (цю людину я навіть не особливо не помітила по сюжету, не те, щоб підозрювати 😱 а дарма)
Детективна складова, як завжди, бездоганна, деталі продумані, ні до чого не прикопаєшся 😁 кінець був напружений
Ба більше, тут навіть сцена сексу є 😅 (правда без подробиць..)
Єдине, що трохи розчарувало, так це те, що я очікувала тут ще зустріти оту "професорку" з першої частини, але тут ні слова про це...шкода
І тепер, дочитавши, трохи не розумію назву роману...🤔
Але дуже хочу читати далі цей цикл🥰
March 31, 2022
Aside from being disappointed that I was reading the second book without reading the first - ugh! - I really enjoyed this pairing of a Watson-Holmes-type duo: the time period - just after WWII is interesting and the sharper than a needle intellect of Lillian Pentecost (how cool is that name?) and the rough-and-tumble-ness of Willowjean Parker (also an excellent name) make for a fantastic and engrossing detective type story. Add in a circus as the backdrop for a murder and I was in like Flynn (as they say ;)).
April 6, 2022
Ahhhh, friends..a character driven well written mystery…they do exist!
This is the second book in the series featuring Lillian Pentecost and her assistant Willow Jean Parker, a.k.a. Will, the narrator of the story. This time the pair venture out of their comfortable NYC environment to Will’s old haunt of the circus. The tattooed lady, an old friend and confidant of Will’s has been murdered.
There are a lot of characters in this book, but each one is finally drawn and the author paints a beautiful picture of what a circus would be like in the late 1940s.
I almost didn’t read this since I’m anti-circus, but fortunately there’s no mention of animals.
Another great read. I can’t wait for the next installment in the series!
This is the second book in the series featuring Lillian Pentecost and her assistant Willow Jean Parker, a.k.a. Will, the narrator of the story. This time the pair venture out of their comfortable NYC environment to Will’s old haunt of the circus. The tattooed lady, an old friend and confidant of Will’s has been murdered.
There are a lot of characters in this book, but each one is finally drawn and the author paints a beautiful picture of what a circus would be like in the late 1940s.
I almost didn’t read this since I’m anti-circus, but fortunately there’s no mention of animals.
Another great read. I can’t wait for the next installment in the series!
April 10, 2022
When Willowjean Parker learns that a friend from her circus days has been murdered--and what's more, Will's old mentor has been charged with the killing--she and her boss Lillian Pentecost set out for the small town in Virginia where the circus is playing. There Will learns that Ruby, the dead woman, came from the area, and still knows many people in the vicinity. Despite hostility from the local police, Will and Ms Pentecost try to find out who had the motive to kill the tattooed lady. Another sterling performance from Spotswood.
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