Review: Who Killed Marilyn Monroe?

This is the first in a series starring Grace Smith, an ex-cop-turned-PI working the streets of Seatoun, England. But she really doesn't have much use for her first name. At five-ten (with the weight of someone five foot three) she doesn't feel her first name suits her much. So most of the time, she's called Smithie. Also to distinguish her from her business partner, Annie Smith, who's an ex-copper as well.

It's business as usual until Smithie is hired to investigate what appears to be a brutal murder--the victim found with its throat slit, no suspects. The police aren't much interested--perhaps because the victim's a donkey, raised on a farm with other such animals by a slightly eccentric man named Drysdale. Once the giggles subside and the embarrassment fades, Smithie finds the murder of the donkey--named Marilyn Monroe, and hence the title of the book--is connected to another death, that of a young prostitute in the area. Soon it's no laughing matter as the police get involved and the case takes a few weird turns, getting all the more complicated...

Basically, this book's a lot of fun. Grace Smith is an extremely appealing protagonist, confident but not cocky, able to enjoy her own company but not so isolated that she can't be lonely a time or two. I don't know if she's truly a "Tart Noir" figure per se, but she's hardly a damsel in distress and I appreciated that very much. The supporting characters are an amusing lot as well, from the dour Annie's pathetic lovelife to a possibly insane but dotty man, Moldaur, who pops up every so often to provide some comic relief. And then there are those donkeys, which manage to be a heck of a plot device.

I can see why this series has a lot of fans--it's lighthearted without being over the top, funny but not in a broad, slapsticky way. I'm looking forward to Grace Smith's further adventures, although I'll kind of miss the donkeys, well, just a little bit.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Sarah - RAM

Book Review: Who Killed Marilyn Monroe?