Book Review: Mean Woman Blues

Reviewed By: Ruth Jordan - RAM

Mean Woman Blues     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Julie Smith
Class/Genre:   Mystery
Series: Skip Langdon # 9
Aug 2003, Forge, 304 pages/$24.95

This is a Langdon book not to be skipped. After a brief sabbatical Julie Smith returns to her award winning Skip Langdon series with a bang. As the Formosan termites gnaw at the grand old residences that make up New Orleans’ French quarter warnings of too much happiness buzz at the back of Skip’s mind. Boyfriend Steve has relocated to New Orleans and things are better than good for our heroine except for the outstanding issue of the sociopath Errol Jacomine, a modern day madman who is an enemy to the nth degree. And within pages he is back in a plot sure to please first and long time readers alike.

Smith is a master of plotting and in MEAN WOMEN BLUES she gives her reader a treat. There’s a face off coming between Langdon and her nemesis and the stakes are life and death. With a skill that few in the field of mystery possess Smith draws out a fantastical story and makes it utterly believable.

It has been said that the easiest place to hide is in plain sight and Jacomine has taken this quaint little ditty to a new and frightening height. As the madman formats his plan to become the most powerful person in America the “Ugly Bitch” is never far from his thoughts. As he works to dispatch Ms. Langdon for good she fights back. Using all of her resources Skip means to get Jacomine before he gets her. The showdown is like none since the O.K. Corral and had me entirely riveted.

Ruth Jordan - RAM

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

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