false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171524255m/104740.jpg 104740 10 Laurie King's first Kate Martinelli mystery, <i>A Grave Talent</i>, won Best First Novel honors from both the Mystery Writers of America and the British Crime Writers' Association. In this fourth installment in the series, King once again displays her talent as both a prose stylist and a masterful plotter in a case that proves to be personally harrowing for her heroine. <p> While attending a school play one evening, Detective Martinelli gets what appears to be a routine page about a homicide. The murder victim is James Larsen, an airport baggage handler found in the Presidio, handcuffed, strangled, and with stun-gun burns on his chest. And apparently he had a sweet tooth, given the candies found in his pocket. When it comes out that Larsen was an abusive husband whose wife now lives in a shelter, Martinelli's list of suspects takes a distasteful turn. Could the perpetrator be connected with the Ladies of Perpetual Disgruntlement, the group of secretive women (or men) who've lately been terrorizing abusers and rapists around the city with their humorous, updated version of the tar-and-feather treatment? Could it be Larsen's wife, a mousy woman who, nonetheless, is clearly harboring some secrets? Could it be Roz Hall, Martinelli's social crusading feminist minister friend? In each case, rage would be justified, but not murder. <p> When two additional murder victims with similar profiles--and pockets full of candy--surface, the San Francisco media takes an interest in this latest instance of vigilante justice. The investigation is further complicated by Roz's very public interest in the case of a young Indian bride who she believes was murdered. As Martinelli and her partner Al Hawkins try to sort through the mire of emotional entanglements, personal politics, and public scrutiny, King deftly maneuvers her tale through several carefully crafted turns. The novel is also threaded with Hindu spirituality and images of the dark goddess Kali, a vengeful figure perfectly appropriate in a novel about victimized women striking back. <I>--Patrick O'Kelley</I> 2632700 book 28 11 2000 Night Work total:495|5:3|4:11|3:9|2:0|1:0| 495 1837 627 29 1 1 false false Tue Jul 15 08:33:35 -0700 2008 Tue Jul 22 06:21:24 -0700 2008
However, the additional detail about Kate Martinelli's life and the lives of her friends was ponderous, and made the book less of a mystery and more of an attempt at a novel. Adding q...more...]]> 1 0 false true Tue Jan 06 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Tue Jan 06 16:13:32 -0800 2009 Tue Jan 06 16:54:23 -0800 2009
I didn't even fully read this book - which is a rarity for me - began skimming after the first 100 or so pages. The book was very preachy, and, although it touched on some important feminist issues, it is misandris...more...]]> 1 0 false false Mon Sep 14 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Sep 14 21:11:07 -0700 2009 Mon Sep 14 21:11:20 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false true Sun Jun 28 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Jun 28 21:54:59 -0700 2009 Sun Jun 28 22:04:04 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false true Sun Mar 08 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Sun Dec 21 13:35:07 -0800 2008 Sun Mar 08 15:07:52 -0700 2009
Besides a good crime and great characters, I always learn someth...more...]]> 5 0 false false Mon Dec 15 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Fri Nov 28 17:28:28 -0800 2008 Tue Dec 16 19:16:55 -0800 2008
...more...]]> 1 0 false false Mon Aug 17 18:50:06 -0700 2009 Mon Aug 17 18:52:08 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Thu Feb 26 17:21:19 -0800 2009 Thu Feb 26 17:27:08 -0800 2009 5 0 false false Fri Jul 24 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Jul 23 13:25:22 -0700 2008 Tue Jul 28 09:54:17 -0700 2009
(...more...]]> 3 0 false false Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Apr 13 09:48:26 -0700 2009 Mon Apr 13 09:49:30 -0700 2009 4 0 false false Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 27 19:49:32 -0800 2009 Fri Feb 27 19:52:25 -0800 2009 0 0 false false Sat Aug 29 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Aug 28 06:13:09 -0700 2009 Sat Aug 29 06:38:35 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Mon Mar 16 21:26:12 -0700 2009 Mon Mar 16 21:26:36 -0700 2009 2 0 false false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Tue Jan 13 11:11:24 -0800 2009 Tue Jan 13 11:12:49 -0800 2009 2 0 false false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2004 Thu Jun 04 19:28:42 -0700 2009 Thu Jun 04 19:28:42 -0700 2009 0 0 false false Wed Jan 14 21:20:30 -0800 2009 Wed Jan 14 21:20:56 -0800 2009 4 0 false false Wed Oct 07 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Oct 07 12:24:53 -0700 2009 Wed Oct 07 12:27:18 -0700 2009 5 0 false false Tue Feb 24 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Fri Jun 27 09:04:51 -0700 2008 Mon Feb 23 23:13:38 -0800 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Sun Apr 26 10:56:07 -0700 2009 Sun Apr 26 10:56:26 -0700 2009 3 0 false false Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Thu Jun 05 07:38:09 -0700 2008 Tue Jun 10 20:25:23 -0700 2008 more...]]> http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=104740