Book Review: Louisiana HotShot

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Louisiana HotShot     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Julie Smith
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Private Investigator   Woman Main Character   Ethnic
Series: Talba Wallis # 1
Forge, May 2001, $24.95, 320 pp.

She never intended to become a private detective, but when Talba Wallis saw the classified ad in the Times-Picayune, she applies for the job. Eddie Valentino of E.V. Anthony Investigations Service is impressed with the dossier Talba compiled on him and her brassy disrespect for her elders. She, in turn, feels her potential new boss is a sexist likable soul.

Eddie hires Talba sending her immediately into an investigation. An irate mother claims that her fourteen-year old daughter had sex with someone named Toes, an adult male. As Eddie and Talba make inquiries they quickly learn that Toes has influence in New Orleans as the police try to stalemate any progress the new sleuth makes. When other teenage girls vanish, Talba realizes something drastic must be done before others get hurt.

This is a different type of series than Julie Smith's Skip Langdon novels, but is as much fun. The eccentric and realistic characters bring out the hidden New Orleans while the relationship between Eddie and Talba is quite entertaining and amusing as they are two sides of the same cover. LOUISIANA HOTSHOT is a smooth thriller that will brighten the reader's day.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner

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