Musclebound

Eva Wylie #3

by Liza Cody

The critically acclaimed female professional wrestler-cum-sleuth, Eva Wylie, appears in her third offbeat outing as she discovers a bag of stolen money while moonlighting as a junkyard watchman and faces her most formidable foe. By the author of Monkey Wrench.

Genres: Mystery, Crime

279 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Liza Cody (real name Liza Nassim) is an English crime fiction writer.

Reviews

[Berengaria]

3.5 stars

short review for busy readers:
Rather disappointing series finale after the fabulous first 2 books.

in detail:
Once again, the characters are brilliantly drawn and Eva manages to get herself manipulated while irritating the crap out of everyone in a 10 km radius...including a very dangerous man whose bag of counterfeit money she stole out of a car she pinched. (Long story)

What's disappointing is that the content of this one is a huge thematic break from the previous books. The plot/action is far from established territory and the crime(s) is/are far out of Eva's normal league.

And what's with this? Eva's been blacklisted from wrestling! With that twist, the entire rug has pulled out from under what is a very central element of the series.

Without her identity as the London Lassassin, who is Eva? An endlessly whinging, delusional drunk who is even worse at seeing through the manipulation, even more of a pill, and even more self-destructive than she ever was.

That's not fun any more. That's a good character on the skids and spiralling down into oblivion fast. It's painful to know how she's being set up, but have to watch her be stupidly blind to it for a very long time.

Cody may not have been able to think of any further adventures for Eva, or she just got tired of this series and wanted to end it. Whatever the case, it's a real shame, because Eva is such a unique female character in crime fiction. I'll miss her.

[Kirsty Darbyshire]

I somehow picked the third in the series rather than the first, but thisbook was ace. Sparklingly bright and original. Tons of brilliantcharacterisation. Four stars, ones with sparkly bits though.

[Bonnie Wilson]

I am amazed again by this author's ability to draw the reader in to the mind, heart, world of a protagonist who violates every norm of "heroine." Really stellar writing.

[Linda]

Fun read; amusing character with distinctive voice.

[Spuddie]

Third and last Eva Wylie mystery in which Eva finds herself on the down and outs--her wrestling manager has barred her from the gym and won't speak to her, her Ma was all set to move away and not even tell her, and Anna Lee, the private investigator who sometimes throws her jobs has told her she must stop drinking or their working relationship is done. No money, it's raining, her new pup Milo disrespects her, so Eva is feeling particularly sorry for herself.

When she 'borrows' a car that ends up having a sports bag full of money in it, she thinks her luck has changed, but it brings her nothing but trouble, as does the reappearance of her sister Simone in her life. Simone, having been adopted out by a foster family when she was a small girl, hasn't the patience to deal with Eva and her drinking and her bleak lifestyle. However, a pesky fellow-wrestler named Keif wants to be Eva's personal trainer and get her back into fighting shape and he seems to be the one bright spot in her life although she doesn't see it that way. I have to admit that reading these last two books in this series close together makes me rather glad there isn't another--I think I'd have taken a good long break from the series if there were, as Eva's almost-whiny "poor me, none of this is my fault" attitude really began to grate on my nerves and made me think of all my former mental health patients with Borderline Personality Disorder.

Granted, she's had a tough life and survived a lot, but get on with it, already! She made so many poor decisions/choices in this book I can't even begin to count them, and most of them did indeed come back to bite her in the bum. Ah well. I did like the ending and would like to think that if Eva's story ever gets resurrected that there is hope for her.

[Robert Davis]

Eva Wylie is big, brash and loud, rude, crude and dumb... and sort of likeable. Her life is full of poor choices and bad decisions. She makes poor judgments in character and treats the good people who would be her friends like enemies, most notably Anna Lee whom she dubs "The Enemy." She looks for affection from those who despise her, namely her own mother and sister. Brains are not her best asset. But still, even when she makes ludacris and stupid decisions, we root for her... and we like her... despite her shortcomings in character and judgement.

Liza Cody has created very authentic voices in her characters, and it is an entertaining trek through the lives of her creations. I've enjoyed it.

[Meredith Galman]

Third in Cody's Eva Wylie series, Musclebound picks up a year after the events in the last book, which have gotten Eva barred from wrestling. Stripped of her sense of identity, Eva has hit the skids, broke, friendless, and drinking hard. In short order, she acquires a sack full of cash, her long-lost sister Simone, and a handsome personal trainer. Needless to say, it doesn't work out quite the way Eva imagines. I remembered Eva as tough, sassy, and fun, but I'd forgotten how pitiful and deluded she is, so reading about her is simultaneously funny and depressing. Loved the character of Keif (Keith, to those of us without London accents), and good to see Anna Lee make an appearance.

[Ann]

I love the "Eva Wylie" series. Funny and quirky with enough mystery to keep you turning the pages. I hope she writes a 4th one in the series...or maybe she has and I just haven't found it yet!