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Kate Delafield #2
Murder at the Nightwood Bar
Kate Delafield investigates the murder of a homeless 19-year-old addict-prostitute, whose battered body is found outside a popular lesbian bar.
240 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
28 people are currently reading
514 people want to read
About the author
Katherine V. Forrest
44 books324 followersKatherine V. Forrest is a Canadian-born American writer, best known for her novels about lesbian police detective Kate Delafield. Her books have won and been finalists for Lambda Literary Award twelve times, as well as other awards. She has been referred to by some "a founding mother of lesbian fiction writing."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
October 15, 2022
Oof this is a well done, fascinating mystery, but there is some heavy, disturbing content in some detail, FYI: a serial child molester and incest perpetrator. Anyone picking this up should be prepared. The murder victim is also a lesbian sex worker.
It was so interesting to get a view into this 80s dyke bar, especially the kind of one that has scrabble, coffee, and lesbian magazines. I wanna go there!! The murder Kate is investigating takes place just outside this bar -- The Nightwood -- and it brings Kate's personal and professional selves in awkward proximity. The bar's patrons and owner were drawn in characteristic stark honesty, as were other major suspects and witnesses. And the killer, holy shit what a sad twist.
There are a few missteps here again re: race as well as in the book's treatment of sex work. Like, "well-meaning" comments about how beautifully exotic mixed race people are and how sad it is that some women have to resort to sex work.
I'm definitely continuing with this series, but I think I need a break first! This case is featured in the newest Kate Delafield book published this year so I might jump around and read that one next! I'm so curious to see how Kate grows.
Btw, Kate Zane does an incredible job with these books as the audiobook voice actor.
It was so interesting to get a view into this 80s dyke bar, especially the kind of one that has scrabble, coffee, and lesbian magazines. I wanna go there!! The murder Kate is investigating takes place just outside this bar -- The Nightwood -- and it brings Kate's personal and professional selves in awkward proximity. The bar's patrons and owner were drawn in characteristic stark honesty, as were other major suspects and witnesses. And the killer, holy shit what a sad twist.
There are a few missteps here again re: race as well as in the book's treatment of sex work. Like, "well-meaning" comments about how beautifully exotic mixed race people are and how sad it is that some women have to resort to sex work.
I'm definitely continuing with this series, but I think I need a break first! This case is featured in the newest Kate Delafield book published this year so I might jump around and read that one next! I'm so curious to see how Kate grows.
Btw, Kate Zane does an incredible job with these books as the audiobook voice actor.
June 3, 2018
This was an expetacular read!
I can say with all certainty that until now, this is the best book I have ever read in the category of lesbian literature of mystery/ crime / police investigation.
Katherine V. Forrest did an incredible job on this volume of the series; I had really enjoyed the first volume, but this one surpassed all my expectations.
I will not go into details, because the review would get too long. However, issues such as abuse, incest, pedophilia, racism, homophobia, rape, among other things were addressed in this narrative in a very exemplary way.
As for solving the mystery / police investigation ... To me it was the best part. Throughout the narrative the author gives you tips on who could be the culprit for Dory's death and in my head I had considered almost all the characters in the story lol
Almost at the end of the book, I considered the real killer, but soon I changed my mind and returned to my main suspect. I was very glad to know that I was wrong, I love it when authors can surprise me.
And that was a big surprise, finding out the culprit and reading about all the reasons and how this person did it.
I'm addicted to this story and the absence of a romance, to me, wasn't important. As I have said before in other reviews, in lesbian literature I always find it a problem when they mix mystery and romance because they end up giving more importance to one theme than the other.
I may be mistaken, but I think in this collection, if the author were to put in a love interest for Kate, she would not diminish the criminal investigation, or at least I hope.
Anyway ... Here I go to the next volume.
If I could, I would give it 10 stars
I can say with all certainty that until now, this is the best book I have ever read in the category of lesbian literature of mystery/ crime / police investigation.
Katherine V. Forrest did an incredible job on this volume of the series; I had really enjoyed the first volume, but this one surpassed all my expectations.
I will not go into details, because the review would get too long. However, issues such as abuse, incest, pedophilia, racism, homophobia, rape, among other things were addressed in this narrative in a very exemplary way.
As for solving the mystery / police investigation ... To me it was the best part. Throughout the narrative the author gives you tips on who could be the culprit for Dory's death and in my head I had considered almost all the characters in the story lol
Almost at the end of the book, I considered the real killer, but soon I changed my mind and returned to my main suspect. I was very glad to know that I was wrong, I love it when authors can surprise me.
And that was a big surprise, finding out the culprit and reading about all the reasons and how this person did it.
I'm addicted to this story and the absence of a romance, to me, wasn't important. As I have said before in other reviews, in lesbian literature I always find it a problem when they mix mystery and romance because they end up giving more importance to one theme than the other.
I may be mistaken, but I think in this collection, if the author were to put in a love interest for Kate, she would not diminish the criminal investigation, or at least I hope.
Anyway ... Here I go to the next volume.
If I could, I would give it 10 stars
July 18, 2014
This book was simply amazing! I read it under 24 hours and lost track of the number of times it made me cry! Forget Rizzoli and Isles this is a proper lesbian detective. This book was part murder mystery and also part social commentary. I bought a recent edition, 2003 and thought it was a modern book set in the 80s, but then I went back and saw that it was actually first published in 1985. It is such an interesting snapshot of the lesbian community at that time. Issues of women being out at work, gay bashing, gay pride, parents rejecting their children. It just hit you on so many levels. The writing was also really good, clear and straightforward like the main character Kate. It was really refreshing to read a lesbian book where the struggle towards a lesbian identity wasn't the focus. Though Kate was mostly in the closet at work she didn't have any issues with her sexuality which was quite refreshing to read. It gave a great perspective on the homophobia that the characters had to face. Reading the book I felt like I really grew to know the murder victim and felt really sad for her loss. I almost wish she'd been a live character at some point as I felt for her so strongly. Without a doubt one of the best novels I've read in ages. Before I was finished I went and bought the next one.
July 3, 2023
Back in the day, every lesbian feminist had at least one Katherine V Forrest book on her shelves. I read a good handful of them in the 80s and early 90s and liked them well enough. They're easy reads that are hard to put down, but their simple, straightforward style didn't exactly fit my definition of "literature."
Forrest recently released a 10th book in her Kate Delafield series of police procedurals, and it made me want to revisit the series. (I accidentally started with the second book because I misremembered it as the first.) I was kind of blown away by it. It is simple and straightforward, and anyone who has ever read a mystery before will clock the killer as soon as they're introduced.
What Forrest does really, really well is vividly depict the lives of out and closeted lesbians in the 80s. I think that at the time these books looked so much like the world I was living in that I didn't appreciate what a cultural document they were. After the murder is solved, Forrest includes a gay pride parade as a postscript. It took me right back to how things felt then.
Murder at the Nightwood Bar is a gripping, empathetic slice of queer history.
Forrest recently released a 10th book in her Kate Delafield series of police procedurals, and it made me want to revisit the series. (I accidentally started with the second book because I misremembered it as the first.) I was kind of blown away by it. It is simple and straightforward, and anyone who has ever read a mystery before will clock the killer as soon as they're introduced.
What Forrest does really, really well is vividly depict the lives of out and closeted lesbians in the 80s. I think that at the time these books looked so much like the world I was living in that I didn't appreciate what a cultural document they were. After the murder is solved, Forrest includes a gay pride parade as a postscript. It took me right back to how things felt then.
Murder at the Nightwood Bar is a gripping, empathetic slice of queer history.
March 5, 2023
A very satisfying book that is easy to read. Short, clear chapters lead into each other.
There's some police bruality which is never OK and ideologies backing that up (eg aghast when one of Kate's new friends does not have good security on her home). Noone in the book seems to have good professional boundaries.
There's a sex scene, it's right for its context. The crime itself is disturbing but mostly bad things happen to bad people. Published in 1984 and ahead of its time, this sort of story would be more common and expected to be more subtle now. I think I will try to read more of these.
There's some police bruality which is never OK and ideologies backing that up (eg aghast when one of Kate's new friends does not have good security on her home). Noone in the book seems to have good professional boundaries.
There's a sex scene, it's right for its context. The crime itself is disturbing but mostly bad things happen to bad people. Published in 1984 and ahead of its time, this sort of story would be more common and expected to be more subtle now. I think I will try to read more of these.
February 3, 2021
What did I just read????? Why do I know the color of every lesbian’s shorts in this book? Why did the mystery have to end Like That? Why did the cop have to tell her multiracial love interest that “you make me think that in a totally integrated world we would all be very beautiful”????
Good things:
- the Nightwood Bar itself
- the description of Pride
(In general Katherine V Forrest has charmed me with the last bits of her books—this one and Curious Wine—but in this case it was not enough)
Good things:
- the Nightwood Bar itself
- the description of Pride
(In general Katherine V Forrest has charmed me with the last bits of her books—this one and Curious Wine—but in this case it was not enough)
October 31, 2024
dissertation reading, #7
oh. my. god. this is the best book i’ve read for my dissertation so far, hands down. i feel like i could write an entire dissertation on this book alone. the first in my diss research that takes place at an explicitly queer setting, with extremely dark themes and a mystery that had my jaw on the floor by the end of the novel, this book basically blew the first in the series out of the water with how good it was. my only possible criticism is that it was fairly similar in romance plot to the first book, so it felt a little repetitive in that regard, but i loved how much more case-focused this one was!
oh. my. god. this is the best book i’ve read for my dissertation so far, hands down. i feel like i could write an entire dissertation on this book alone. the first in my diss research that takes place at an explicitly queer setting, with extremely dark themes and a mystery that had my jaw on the floor by the end of the novel, this book basically blew the first in the series out of the water with how good it was. my only possible criticism is that it was fairly similar in romance plot to the first book, so it felt a little repetitive in that regard, but i loved how much more case-focused this one was!
June 15, 2025
Overall - YES - this is a wonderful book! I enjoyed it very much. Especially since I met many of these characters YEARS later, in Books #9-10. It made me want to go back to the sections of those books to re-listen w/ the context I now have from the 80s (June 1985, to be exact).
I picked this story b/c the case was referenced in Book 10. And because I wanted to get to know Maggie better. Those made it more appealing to me than starting w/ Book #1. I'm not sure how many I'll eventually listen to - and def don't mind going out of order. Just like Books #5 and #9 this one also has excellent and unflinching character development as well as... IDK, I guess real-feeling circumstances? It felt relatable and possible. Plus, I got to meet Andrea Ross, who showed up at the end of Book #10.
There were 2 scenes, tho, that made me VERY uncomfortable. The first I'm going to describe (altho it came after the other scene, chronologically, in the book) I think echoed some prevailing ideas abt gender identity from the 1980s and 1990s. IDK why/how these - IDK where these ideas came from, but I remember feeling like there was a v narrow definition of 'woman.' Even for lesbians. And that a lot of adult women were v fixated on what it meant to BE a woman - i.e., kind of a reclamation? An exploration? It was def part of the feminism of that time.Pushing back against the need to be as much like men as possible to get ahead, maybe. And/or once it's recognized that men have been describing / defining women for so long, women seizing the opportunity to describe / define women themselves. The problem was (which I already said) (and it's only a problem IMO) that whomever was coming up w/ these definitions was too narrow-minded.
Well, and also too closely linked to sex, b/c a lot of what I remember (and what in this story made me feel uncomfortable) was a celebration of "women's bodies" - specifically, a celebration / reclamation of female secondary sex characteristics. Like breasts and... well, this isn't an organ but a function - menstruation. Oh! And that book, "Cunt." (That was a combo of reclaiming body AND language.) I remember a woman painting w/ her period blood? Or maybe throwing her period blood on paintings? And there was that book, "The Red Tent." IDK - it just felt like there was more discussion and openness surrounding discussion and acknowledgement of female anatomy than there had been before.
Including a lot of "Oh, no, I have breast cancer, and they removed my breasts; am I still a woman???" Which I've never understood. And also feel like that narrow definition of "woman" did a LOT of harm (in MANY MANY MANY ways) but specific to this situation b/c it told CANCER SURVIVORS (who have bigger things to worry abt!) that their gender was somehow at risk? I mean - it 100% makes sense to mourn if you liked your breasts and now they're gone. It doesn't make sense to ADD to that concern abt... whether that means you're suddenly LESS of a woman... or a DEFECTIVE woman. That part super sucks.
But it's what was portrayed in the scene w/ Kate and Andrea, before they had sex. Andrea cautioned Kate, dramatically, "I'm not what I seem." Then she (equally dramatically) opened her shirt to reveal the scars on her chest where her breasts used to be. And all her concern abt "Am I still desirable?" I mean. As I'm writing this I understand it better - from an individual (Andrea's) perspective. 100%. But while I was listening I felt like this exchange reinforced the (erroneous) idea, so pervasive in the 80s and 90s, that a woman's worth, or identity, or something (I'm not sure) - depends on her secondary sex organs.
The other scene made me even MORE squeemish. Cringy. At 3h31, after Audie is safely inside the bar after having been attacked by 3 men in the parking lot, Kate is pressuring her to press charges. OF COURSE SHE'S NOT GOING TO. Of course it's wildly hypocritical of Kate - since *she's* super-closeted b/c of her job (and says so later, when Maggie (?) asks if she'll join them at the Pride Parade) but yet she feels that Audie, a kindergarten teacher (and BLACK no less) ought to out herself in pursuit of "justice" for her attack. I couldn't believe that Audie and her partner were so CIVIL to Kate. B/c Kate had ALL KINDS of ridiculous ideas abt - well, faith in the criminal justice system. That Audie and her partner gently corrected (they said something like, "I've watched this system fail our ppl time and time again - yeah, those men *might* go to jail for a year or two, but then soon they'll be out again in no time, having never learned any lesson or changed their ways whatsoever"). So. Cringe.
The part that made me REALLY ANGRY tho was when Kate said that Audie had a responsibility to get those men off the street before they harm someone else. WTF. That is NOT on Audie. I'm angry abt it b/c *I* heard that rationale A LOT re: the rape trial. That I was doing it for other women! BULL. SHIT. It's not up to a victim / survivor to "protect" potential future victims / survivors. That's not even FEASIBLE. (Not in their / our hula-hoop.) It's just another form of gaslighting and abuse. Telling us to do the impossible. The ppl who need to step up and protect future survivors are: the assailants (stop assaulting). The police (do your fucking jobs). I couldn't BELIEVE that Kate said this. I mean. I could. But it made me angry that she did.
At the end of the exchange Audie said, firmly, "I have too much to lose." Then IIRC Kate made some sort of impassioned speech abt how she believes in the criminal justice system... IDK. It was awful. Awful. What a head-in-the-sand, naive, arrogant, privileged... idk what else. Perspective to take. And to cram down ppl's throats. Who - really - are the LAST ones who ought to be encouraged to believe that bullshit. B/c they're some of the MOST vulnerable. Kate the gaslighter. Gah. I'm *still* furious.
OK. Now that I have those off my chest. Like I said at the beginning - overall I enjoyed this book! Would recommend. A high point: at 0h56:30 the narrator pronounced the brand "Adidas" as "AH-dee-dahs" instead of "Ah-DEE-dis" like most ppl do 😄
Also at 5h41, while Kate is questioning the mother (b/c the father is in custody and they're trying to get enough evidence to charge him for the murder) I wrote down - "I bet she killed her." If it's obvious to *me* who the killer is, it's obvious to *everyone*🤣 But. I don't listen to mystery stories to solve the crime. I'm more interested in the psychology and the character development. Which tends to be front and center in these. So.
Final observation - it seemed apropos to have listened to this over Father's Day weekend, since the murder took place on Father's Day - as the murderer / mother mentioned to Kate and her partner (Ed?) when they went to break the news to the parents that the daughter was deceased.
PS - it was weird (?) strange (?) to listen to *young* Kate... who was already describing herself as old! But after listening to Books #9-10, where she was so full of self-doubt and self-recrimination, it was... IDK - to hear her same inner voice, but this time a voice w/ more confidence. She definitely was uncertain abt things, but SMALLER things. Like - should she call Andrea? Not BIG things, like, "I wasted 23 years of Amy's life b/c I'm a fuck-up partner." Juxtaposition. B/c the end and the beginning.
Some passages I bookmarked (there were SO MANY - the ones abt child abuse were ESPECIALLY EXCELLENT).
0h10 (2%) - Any persecuted minority . . . tends to act with hostility toward the symbols of its persecution. [Kate's partner's explanation for why the women at the Nightwood Bar were being so irascible during their questioning]
0h43:30 (9%) - You can't expect me to answer a question like that. I don't know what goes on with all these women. You might as well ask me to keep track of what's happening in a rabbit hutch. 😂 (Maggie in response to Kate's question abt the murder victim's romantic relationship)
2h36 (35%) - Is there anything that can hurt more than music. Just a line of the song - and a whole period of your life comes flooding back. All those memories. All that emotion. (Audrey? I've forgotten her name already - Kate's love interest - to Kate)
2h46:30 (38%) - Polite small talk was one thing, but she drew the line at the deadly boredom of diets. 🤣😂 {Kate's response to an informant saying something abt being on a diet - and changing the topic QUICKLY)
### FOLLOWING QUOTES FROM PSYCHOLOGIST RE: CHILD ABUSE ###
2h55:30 (42%) - Children always love their parents. They're stuck with loving them until they have the most compelling reasons to stop. Some children never understand, even into adulthood, that they have every right to withdraw their love from a parent. They live with the fairytale belief that loving a despicable parent will someday change that parent. [emphasis mine]
2h58:30 (40%) - She was well aware of what commonly happens when a child *does* come forward. The family unit is smashed. The conflicts suffered by abused children are ghastly beyond all imagination. [emphasis mine]
3h01:24 (41%) - There is no greater risk for a child than to tell the mother. It is the ultimate risk. Where else can the child go to find love? If the mother rejects the truth when the child *does* come forward, that child has nowhere left to turn. She's literally lost both parents.... A very common response from many mothers is denial. And I mean complete denial. Denial at any cost. Denial of evidence right in front of their eyes. Because that mother cannot face the ultimate meaning of what that child has told her. Many women see no escape from their domestic situations. And so they turn against their own child b/c they can't bear the sight of their own jail cell. Other mothers do something even more despicable. They trick the child into self-blame - accuse her of enticement - make her believe she's responsible. [emphasis mine]
3h05:30 (42%) - It helped immeasurably to explain the depth of her trauma. All molested children are damaged. But one can only imagine the suffering of a lesbian child at the hands of a male child abuser. [emphasis mine]
3h06 (42%) - "Do you think the molestation, if it happened, might have turned her into a lesbian?"
"To repeat myself: one out of four women in this country has been sexually abused. Are one fourth lesbian?" [emphasis mine; exchange b/t Kate's dopey partner and the psych]
### END OF QUOTES FROM PSYCHOLOGIST ###
5h02:30 (69%) - Let's pick up the son-of-a-bitch.... Twist his pecker up behind his ass. 😲😂
6h04 (83%) - He indulged in the amenities of politeness and small talk only in the absence of pressing police business. [emphasis mine]
6h55:30 (95%) - They oughta put a statement on the bible just like they put on cigarettes, like, "The contents of this book may freeze-dry your brains."
7h00:30 (96%) - We can't choose our parents. But we sure as hell can choose how we feel about them. Why should we love anybody who doesn't accept or respect us? [emphasis mine; Maggie says this to the ppl at the bar]
I picked this story b/c the case was referenced in Book 10. And because I wanted to get to know Maggie better. Those made it more appealing to me than starting w/ Book #1. I'm not sure how many I'll eventually listen to - and def don't mind going out of order. Just like Books #5 and #9 this one also has excellent and unflinching character development as well as... IDK, I guess real-feeling circumstances? It felt relatable and possible. Plus, I got to meet Andrea Ross, who showed up at the end of Book #10.
There were 2 scenes, tho, that made me VERY uncomfortable. The first I'm going to describe (altho it came after the other scene, chronologically, in the book) I think echoed some prevailing ideas abt gender identity from the 1980s and 1990s. IDK why/how these - IDK where these ideas came from, but I remember feeling like there was a v narrow definition of 'woman.' Even for lesbians. And that a lot of adult women were v fixated on what it meant to BE a woman - i.e., kind of a reclamation? An exploration? It was def part of the feminism of that time.Pushing back against the need to be as much like men as possible to get ahead, maybe. And/or once it's recognized that men have been describing / defining women for so long, women seizing the opportunity to describe / define women themselves. The problem was (which I already said) (and it's only a problem IMO) that whomever was coming up w/ these definitions was too narrow-minded.
Well, and also too closely linked to sex, b/c a lot of what I remember (and what in this story made me feel uncomfortable) was a celebration of "women's bodies" - specifically, a celebration / reclamation of female secondary sex characteristics. Like breasts and... well, this isn't an organ but a function - menstruation. Oh! And that book, "Cunt." (That was a combo of reclaiming body AND language.) I remember a woman painting w/ her period blood? Or maybe throwing her period blood on paintings? And there was that book, "The Red Tent." IDK - it just felt like there was more discussion and openness surrounding discussion and acknowledgement of female anatomy than there had been before.
Including a lot of "Oh, no, I have breast cancer, and they removed my breasts; am I still a woman???" Which I've never understood. And also feel like that narrow definition of "woman" did a LOT of harm (in MANY MANY MANY ways) but specific to this situation b/c it told CANCER SURVIVORS (who have bigger things to worry abt!) that their gender was somehow at risk? I mean - it 100% makes sense to mourn if you liked your breasts and now they're gone. It doesn't make sense to ADD to that concern abt... whether that means you're suddenly LESS of a woman... or a DEFECTIVE woman. That part super sucks.
But it's what was portrayed in the scene w/ Kate and Andrea, before they had sex. Andrea cautioned Kate, dramatically, "I'm not what I seem." Then she (equally dramatically) opened her shirt to reveal the scars on her chest where her breasts used to be. And all her concern abt "Am I still desirable?" I mean. As I'm writing this I understand it better - from an individual (Andrea's) perspective. 100%. But while I was listening I felt like this exchange reinforced the (erroneous) idea, so pervasive in the 80s and 90s, that a woman's worth, or identity, or something (I'm not sure) - depends on her secondary sex organs.
The other scene made me even MORE squeemish. Cringy. At 3h31, after Audie is safely inside the bar after having been attacked by 3 men in the parking lot, Kate is pressuring her to press charges. OF COURSE SHE'S NOT GOING TO. Of course it's wildly hypocritical of Kate - since *she's* super-closeted b/c of her job (and says so later, when Maggie (?) asks if she'll join them at the Pride Parade) but yet she feels that Audie, a kindergarten teacher (and BLACK no less) ought to out herself in pursuit of "justice" for her attack. I couldn't believe that Audie and her partner were so CIVIL to Kate. B/c Kate had ALL KINDS of ridiculous ideas abt - well, faith in the criminal justice system. That Audie and her partner gently corrected (they said something like, "I've watched this system fail our ppl time and time again - yeah, those men *might* go to jail for a year or two, but then soon they'll be out again in no time, having never learned any lesson or changed their ways whatsoever"). So. Cringe.
The part that made me REALLY ANGRY tho was when Kate said that Audie had a responsibility to get those men off the street before they harm someone else. WTF. That is NOT on Audie. I'm angry abt it b/c *I* heard that rationale A LOT re: the rape trial. That I was doing it for other women! BULL. SHIT. It's not up to a victim / survivor to "protect" potential future victims / survivors. That's not even FEASIBLE. (Not in their / our hula-hoop.) It's just another form of gaslighting and abuse. Telling us to do the impossible. The ppl who need to step up and protect future survivors are: the assailants (stop assaulting). The police (do your fucking jobs). I couldn't BELIEVE that Kate said this. I mean. I could. But it made me angry that she did.
At the end of the exchange Audie said, firmly, "I have too much to lose." Then IIRC Kate made some sort of impassioned speech abt how she believes in the criminal justice system... IDK. It was awful. Awful. What a head-in-the-sand, naive, arrogant, privileged... idk what else. Perspective to take. And to cram down ppl's throats. Who - really - are the LAST ones who ought to be encouraged to believe that bullshit. B/c they're some of the MOST vulnerable. Kate the gaslighter. Gah. I'm *still* furious.
OK. Now that I have those off my chest. Like I said at the beginning - overall I enjoyed this book! Would recommend. A high point: at 0h56:30 the narrator pronounced the brand "Adidas" as "AH-dee-dahs" instead of "Ah-DEE-dis" like most ppl do 😄
Also at 5h41, while Kate is questioning the mother (b/c the father is in custody and they're trying to get enough evidence to charge him for the murder) I wrote down - "I bet she killed her." If it's obvious to *me* who the killer is, it's obvious to *everyone*🤣 But. I don't listen to mystery stories to solve the crime. I'm more interested in the psychology and the character development. Which tends to be front and center in these. So.
Final observation - it seemed apropos to have listened to this over Father's Day weekend, since the murder took place on Father's Day - as the murderer / mother mentioned to Kate and her partner (Ed?) when they went to break the news to the parents that the daughter was deceased.
PS - it was weird (?) strange (?) to listen to *young* Kate... who was already describing herself as old! But after listening to Books #9-10, where she was so full of self-doubt and self-recrimination, it was... IDK - to hear her same inner voice, but this time a voice w/ more confidence. She definitely was uncertain abt things, but SMALLER things. Like - should she call Andrea? Not BIG things, like, "I wasted 23 years of Amy's life b/c I'm a fuck-up partner." Juxtaposition. B/c the end and the beginning.
Some passages I bookmarked (there were SO MANY - the ones abt child abuse were ESPECIALLY EXCELLENT).
0h10 (2%) - Any persecuted minority . . . tends to act with hostility toward the symbols of its persecution. [Kate's partner's explanation for why the women at the Nightwood Bar were being so irascible during their questioning]
0h43:30 (9%) - You can't expect me to answer a question like that. I don't know what goes on with all these women. You might as well ask me to keep track of what's happening in a rabbit hutch. 😂 (Maggie in response to Kate's question abt the murder victim's romantic relationship)
2h36 (35%) - Is there anything that can hurt more than music. Just a line of the song - and a whole period of your life comes flooding back. All those memories. All that emotion. (Audrey? I've forgotten her name already - Kate's love interest - to Kate)
2h46:30 (38%) - Polite small talk was one thing, but she drew the line at the deadly boredom of diets. 🤣😂 {Kate's response to an informant saying something abt being on a diet - and changing the topic QUICKLY)
### FOLLOWING QUOTES FROM PSYCHOLOGIST RE: CHILD ABUSE ###
2h55:30 (42%) - Children always love their parents. They're stuck with loving them until they have the most compelling reasons to stop. Some children never understand, even into adulthood, that they have every right to withdraw their love from a parent. They live with the fairytale belief that loving a despicable parent will someday change that parent. [emphasis mine]
2h58:30 (40%) - She was well aware of what commonly happens when a child *does* come forward. The family unit is smashed. The conflicts suffered by abused children are ghastly beyond all imagination. [emphasis mine]
3h01:24 (41%) - There is no greater risk for a child than to tell the mother. It is the ultimate risk. Where else can the child go to find love? If the mother rejects the truth when the child *does* come forward, that child has nowhere left to turn. She's literally lost both parents.... A very common response from many mothers is denial. And I mean complete denial. Denial at any cost. Denial of evidence right in front of their eyes. Because that mother cannot face the ultimate meaning of what that child has told her. Many women see no escape from their domestic situations. And so they turn against their own child b/c they can't bear the sight of their own jail cell. Other mothers do something even more despicable. They trick the child into self-blame - accuse her of enticement - make her believe she's responsible. [emphasis mine]
3h05:30 (42%) - It helped immeasurably to explain the depth of her trauma. All molested children are damaged. But one can only imagine the suffering of a lesbian child at the hands of a male child abuser. [emphasis mine]
3h06 (42%) - "Do you think the molestation, if it happened, might have turned her into a lesbian?"
"To repeat myself: one out of four women in this country has been sexually abused. Are one fourth lesbian?" [emphasis mine; exchange b/t Kate's dopey partner and the psych]
### END OF QUOTES FROM PSYCHOLOGIST ###
5h02:30 (69%) - Let's pick up the son-of-a-bitch.... Twist his pecker up behind his ass. 😲😂
6h04 (83%) - He indulged in the amenities of politeness and small talk only in the absence of pressing police business. [emphasis mine]
6h55:30 (95%) - They oughta put a statement on the bible just like they put on cigarettes, like, "The contents of this book may freeze-dry your brains."
7h00:30 (96%) - We can't choose our parents. But we sure as hell can choose how we feel about them. Why should we love anybody who doesn't accept or respect us? [emphasis mine; Maggie says this to the ppl at the bar]
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2012
I really enjoyed this book, definitely more than I did Amateur City (the first in the series). I guess the murder was a more interesting one to read about - 19-year-old girl outside a gay nightbar, instead of a middle-aged business man, with its supporting cast of characters being mostly all the other lesbians who frequent said bar rather than more boring old business men :P It also reminded me a LOT of an episode of SVU, which I guess added to the interest? I could get into it more because of that, and there seemed to be more mystery this time as well, more piecing together.
I found all the other lesbians at the bar to be enormous stereotypes, not terribly appealing... they were pretty much all butch, man-hating bulldykes. :P Was that what the 80s were like? Did pretty little quiet lipstick lesbians not exist then? Or are they just too subtle to warrant the attention, not obvious enough? I was also amused at how much purple they all seemed too wear. lol.
Again, I was much more into the whodunnit than the romance, and really could have done without that at all... call me a prude, I guess? But wahey, random sex scene after, once more, Kate and have known each other like four days... I'd have loved there to just be some chemistry there without them acting upon it. At least this one was less out of the blue than last time, I guess? But it still felt kind of shoved in there, just to really make this a Lesbian book rather than just a story that happens to have a gay cop at its helm. I'd like it more the latter way, though. I was more into Kate getting all het up about rights and stuff, than her going off to bed one of the women from the bar.
For all my little whinges, I did love this. It's gripping and fast-paced, and I like the way Dory is at first shown in such a sympathetic light, then goes through being not sympathetic at all before everything really comes out. Oh, and I adored the epilogue at the Pride parade :D
I found all the other lesbians at the bar to be enormous stereotypes, not terribly appealing... they were pretty much all butch, man-hating bulldykes. :P Was that what the 80s were like? Did pretty little quiet lipstick lesbians not exist then? Or are they just too subtle to warrant the attention, not obvious enough? I was also amused at how much purple they all seemed too wear. lol.
Again, I was much more into the whodunnit than the romance, and really could have done without that at all... call me a prude, I guess? But wahey, random sex scene after, once more, Kate and have known each other like four days... I'd have loved there to just be some chemistry there without them acting upon it. At least this one was less out of the blue than last time, I guess? But it still felt kind of shoved in there, just to really make this a Lesbian book rather than just a story that happens to have a gay cop at its helm. I'd like it more the latter way, though. I was more into Kate getting all het up about rights and stuff, than her going off to bed one of the women from the bar.
For all my little whinges, I did love this. It's gripping and fast-paced, and I like the way Dory is at first shown in such a sympathetic light, then goes through being not sympathetic at all before everything really comes out. Oh, and I adored the epilogue at the Pride parade :D
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June 18, 2020Second verse, even better than the first.
Kate Delafield is back, this time investigating a murder just outside the lesbian hangout called The Nightwood Bar (probably a reference to iconic lesbian Djuna Barnes’ classic novel Nightwood. And this book is better than its predecessor for many reasons. First, there is no over-the-top homophobia. Instead, Forrest takes us into surroundings that many of us have never experienced. Even Kate Delafield admits that before The Nightwood Bar, she had only been in one lesbian bar in her life, and didn’t like it. In this one, though, her investigation lets her become acquainted with the various denizens therein, from the extreme feminist Patton to the lonely and beautiful Andrea, who Kate takes a shine to.
Another reason I liked this book better is that the solution of the murder is more reasonable—also more unexpected. No one has to walk backwards on a chalk line blindfolded in order to have perpetrated the crime. Kate reasons things out very logically, although the crime actually solves itself in the end. That’s fine; it is the story that is important.
Forrest’s ability to draw characters has improved, too. Although she had several interesting characters in her first book, none of them were really major. In this one, not only does Kate seem a little less cold and a little more human, but she also fleshes out her partner, Ed Taylor. Ed fared badly in the last book, but shines in this one. Forrest even makes the murder victim into a vibrant and interesting character.
I was a bit disappointed that Kate and Ellen O'Neil from the first novel did not end up becoming a couple. In fact, Kate’s sexual life in the first three novels in this series seems to have a pattern. She does not have a single lover; rather she beds one of her witnesses (who are also, of course, suspects) in each book. Ellen is only mentioned briefly in passing. As I noted in my review of Amateur City, I liked Ellen better than Kate. But her new lover Andrea is a good character, too, with unique and interesting problems.
So give this one a thumbs up and read all of the Kate Delafield mysteries. Forrest is not just a pioneer (like Djuna Barnes), she is among the best in a field that she helped mightily to create.
Final Rating: 4
Another Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
Kate Delafield is back, this time investigating a murder just outside the lesbian hangout called The Nightwood Bar (probably a reference to iconic lesbian Djuna Barnes’ classic novel Nightwood. And this book is better than its predecessor for many reasons. First, there is no over-the-top homophobia. Instead, Forrest takes us into surroundings that many of us have never experienced. Even Kate Delafield admits that before The Nightwood Bar, she had only been in one lesbian bar in her life, and didn’t like it. In this one, though, her investigation lets her become acquainted with the various denizens therein, from the extreme feminist Patton to the lonely and beautiful Andrea, who Kate takes a shine to.
Another reason I liked this book better is that the solution of the murder is more reasonable—also more unexpected. No one has to walk backwards on a chalk line blindfolded in order to have perpetrated the crime. Kate reasons things out very logically, although the crime actually solves itself in the end. That’s fine; it is the story that is important.
Forrest’s ability to draw characters has improved, too. Although she had several interesting characters in her first book, none of them were really major. In this one, not only does Kate seem a little less cold and a little more human, but she also fleshes out her partner, Ed Taylor. Ed fared badly in the last book, but shines in this one. Forrest even makes the murder victim into a vibrant and interesting character.
I was a bit disappointed that Kate and Ellen O'Neil from the first novel did not end up becoming a couple. In fact, Kate’s sexual life in the first three novels in this series seems to have a pattern. She does not have a single lover; rather she beds one of her witnesses (who are also, of course, suspects) in each book. Ellen is only mentioned briefly in passing. As I noted in my review of Amateur City, I liked Ellen better than Kate. But her new lover Andrea is a good character, too, with unique and interesting problems.
So give this one a thumbs up and read all of the Kate Delafield mysteries. Forrest is not just a pioneer (like Djuna Barnes), she is among the best in a field that she helped mightily to create.
Final Rating: 4
Another Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
January 19, 2017
Most books I rate five stars I know right away that it's possible. Oh, something might happen that lowers it, sometimes all the way to 1 star, or even no stars, but I tend to know. This one? Sneaked up on me. I figured for the longest time, while I was reading it, that it would likely end up being somewhere between a three and four star work. There wasn't really anything to put it there, just nothing that leapt out at me grabbed me by the neck and screamed "this will be a five star book". At least not till the last part of the book. Where it kind of hit me how deep the book was. How . . . bah.
Mostly I was noticing things, before this revelation, like how this head homicide detective only seemed to get involved with women when they are part of her investigation. There's a back story there that may or may not be spoiler-y. Happened in the first book. Happened in this one. And they are the kind where people in need hook up, and not people in love. That's one of the things I noticed. It is not something I'd add or subtract stars for.
The racial, homophobic annoyances that popped up in the first book were toned down. A lot of the things like that were toned down. Still there but milder. Which is odd, in a way, when you consider the plot of the book. heh.
Right. I'm not great with reviews so I'll just leave it as normal. Just some notes randomly strewn about in a small "what do you thing" box.
Mostly I was noticing things, before this revelation, like how this head homicide detective only seemed to get involved with women when they are part of her investigation. There's a back story there that may or may not be spoiler-y. Happened in the first book. Happened in this one. And they are the kind where people in need hook up, and not people in love. That's one of the things I noticed. It is not something I'd add or subtract stars for.
The racial, homophobic annoyances that popped up in the first book were toned down. A lot of the things like that were toned down. Still there but milder. Which is odd, in a way, when you consider the plot of the book. heh.
Right. I'm not great with reviews so I'll just leave it as normal. Just some notes randomly strewn about in a small "what do you thing" box.
January 20, 2015
Quick note only:
I read Forrest's Daughters of a Coral Dawn a few years back and was sort of ho-hum about it: take away its lesbian agenda and you were left with a pretty poor sf novel. This is the first of her mysteries I've tried, and I was very pleasantly surprised.
Lesbian LAPD homicide cop Kate Delafield investigates the murder of a young, innocent-seeming woman outside a well known lesbian bar, and encounters dark secrets, wise and foolish lesbians, a brief romance, and eventually a solution that's unexpected and, for some of the cast, shattering. Through all this she's aided by her detective partner, Ed Taylor, an older cop looking forward to retirement and somewhat out of his depth when swimming in lesbian waters. The treatment of Taylor varies randomly between (a) sympathetic -- he's trying to cope with a world that in childhood he must have been educated to regard as sinful and perverted -- and (b) stereotyped: he's an obtuse male, how can he be so insensitive and stupid? I felt the novel would have stronger had Forrester stuck to (a).
Overall, pretty good: 3.5 stars. If I come across any of her other mysteries I'll likely pick it up.
I read Forrest's Daughters of a Coral Dawn a few years back and was sort of ho-hum about it: take away its lesbian agenda and you were left with a pretty poor sf novel. This is the first of her mysteries I've tried, and I was very pleasantly surprised.
Lesbian LAPD homicide cop Kate Delafield investigates the murder of a young, innocent-seeming woman outside a well known lesbian bar, and encounters dark secrets, wise and foolish lesbians, a brief romance, and eventually a solution that's unexpected and, for some of the cast, shattering. Through all this she's aided by her detective partner, Ed Taylor, an older cop looking forward to retirement and somewhat out of his depth when swimming in lesbian waters. The treatment of Taylor varies randomly between (a) sympathetic -- he's trying to cope with a world that in childhood he must have been educated to regard as sinful and perverted -- and (b) stereotyped: he's an obtuse male, how can he be so insensitive and stupid? I felt the novel would have stronger had Forrester stuck to (a).
Overall, pretty good: 3.5 stars. If I come across any of her other mysteries I'll likely pick it up.
June 6, 2011
This is a period piece -- sort of a quintessential lesbian murder mystery. The protagonist is a closeted police detective thrust into the investigation of a lesbian at a lesbian bar. Though some of the supporting characters at the bar are (*cough*) a little broadly drawn, they do seem to reflect the culture of the era (though I wasn't exactly hanging out in lesbian bars in the mid-1980s, being in elementary school at the time).
Though I don't want to give away the plot, I will warn you that the initial murder isn't too gory, but the case gets much worse before it gets better, and is definitely trigger-y for those with sexual abuse issues. Also, someone is killed in an unusually horrific way before the story's over. JUST SO YOU KNOW.
On the other hand, if you would like to be really happy that 1987 has come and gone, you may want to read this. Just don't do it at bedtime, unless you have a stronger stomach than I do.
Though I don't want to give away the plot, I will warn you that the initial murder isn't too gory, but the case gets much worse before it gets better, and is definitely trigger-y for those with sexual abuse issues. Also, someone is killed in an unusually horrific way before the story's over. JUST SO YOU KNOW.
On the other hand, if you would like to be really happy that 1987 has come and gone, you may want to read this. Just don't do it at bedtime, unless you have a stronger stomach than I do.
July 5, 2011
Although I much prefer the Brits for murder mysteries, this was quite servicable. Much less broadly drawn and overwrought than some lesbian fiction tends to be.
August 13, 2016
just re-read this for the umpteenth time and still a great story. Kate knows who she is a female cop who is a lesbian. This is not a coming out story, but a mystery with a lesbian lead.
October 20, 2024
This second entry in the Kate Delafield series is a vast improvement over the initial offering, Amateur City.
Katherine Forrest feels more confident in her abilities and braver in her willingness to address sensitive and political topics. While much of it is now commonplace, and the topics are still presented with the subtlety of a fist to the face, at the time is was more daring. Her desire to discuss the Gay experience in that time was evident and her inclusion of references to the Harvey Milk case and other moments helps connect the story to a wider world.
Moreoever, this book doesn't waste time with switching the narrative voices for a character (Ellen) that won't be relevant in future installments. It is now Kate's book. No switching perspectives in the middle of a sex scene without using a turn signal.
As for the negatives, once again, Kate swings wild with an accusation, missing the mark and the evidence in front of her, then berates herself for being stupid. Two novels in a row (and spoiler, the third as well) where the protagonist makes a crucial error that was fairly obvious to a reader familiar with basic mysteries and then has to scramble to catch up. Also in both instances, the author sets it up with characters declaring there is no way this other character could have committed a crime.
This is also the second novel in a row (and the third one as well) where Kate sleeps with a witness to, and potential suspect for, the murder. I can't speak to the legality of this action, but surely it is unethical, to bang relevant actors in an open and ongoing case--right? It seems a defense attorney might be excited by the possibility of saying the case against their client was compromised because the detective couldn't keep her clothes on.
Also also, this is the second novel in a row (and the third as well) where cigarette smoking plays an integral role in the story. In this case, it is light on the evidence and heavy on atmosphere. It's as if Katherine (who must be or have been a smoker) thinks the only way for a character to be pensive, alluring, or otherwise agitated is to have them smoke--and we get to know the brands they smoke. In books 1 and 3, the brand and type are pivotal. Find another trope.
The convenient confession at the end was drawn out. The author is fond of tacking on the idiom, "You see" to sentences of people telling long stories. I can't recall it in the first, but it happens big time here and also in the third book.
Annoyance (that is eventually smoothed over a bit): Kate rides in on a high horse telling Ramey (I think?) that she should risk her job and potentially her safety, in the name of the law and justice. She claims to understand why she doesn't, but keeps pressing (to no avail), even though she can't even officially tell her own partner.
Katherine Forrest feels more confident in her abilities and braver in her willingness to address sensitive and political topics. While much of it is now commonplace, and the topics are still presented with the subtlety of a fist to the face, at the time is was more daring. Her desire to discuss the Gay experience in that time was evident and her inclusion of references to the Harvey Milk case and other moments helps connect the story to a wider world.
Moreoever, this book doesn't waste time with switching the narrative voices for a character (Ellen) that won't be relevant in future installments. It is now Kate's book. No switching perspectives in the middle of a sex scene without using a turn signal.
As for the negatives, once again, Kate swings wild with an accusation, missing the mark and the evidence in front of her, then berates herself for being stupid. Two novels in a row (and spoiler, the third as well) where the protagonist makes a crucial error that was fairly obvious to a reader familiar with basic mysteries and then has to scramble to catch up. Also in both instances, the author sets it up with characters declaring there is no way this other character could have committed a crime.
This is also the second novel in a row (and the third one as well) where Kate sleeps with a witness to, and potential suspect for, the murder. I can't speak to the legality of this action, but surely it is unethical, to bang relevant actors in an open and ongoing case--right? It seems a defense attorney might be excited by the possibility of saying the case against their client was compromised because the detective couldn't keep her clothes on.
Also also, this is the second novel in a row (and the third as well) where cigarette smoking plays an integral role in the story. In this case, it is light on the evidence and heavy on atmosphere. It's as if Katherine (who must be or have been a smoker) thinks the only way for a character to be pensive, alluring, or otherwise agitated is to have them smoke--and we get to know the brands they smoke. In books 1 and 3, the brand and type are pivotal. Find another trope.
The convenient confession at the end was drawn out. The author is fond of tacking on the idiom, "You see" to sentences of people telling long stories. I can't recall it in the first, but it happens big time here and also in the third book.
Annoyance (that is eventually smoothed over a bit): Kate rides in on a high horse telling Ramey (I think?) that she should risk her job and potentially her safety, in the name of the law and justice. She claims to understand why she doesn't, but keeps pressing (to no avail), even though she can't even officially tell her own partner.
March 23, 2025
Read for WPL discussion of Maine Humanities Let’s Talk About It discussion series: Refreshing the Whodunit
How has mystery and detective fiction incorporated the contemporary world’s globalism; dilemmas of race, gender, ethnicity and class; religious conflict; historical revision; and others?
Does the mystery merely reflect its cultural environment, or does it help to elucidate or even change that same environment? What do mysteries bring today’s readers that we really need, though we might not have known we need it? How much social change can a formulaic plot generate or reflect?
With a 1987 copyright, Katherine V. Forrest’s Murder at the Nightwood Bar, we follows LAPD homicide detective Kate Delafield and and her near to retiring white Male partner to the murder scene of beautiful, young blond Dory Quillan. Her head bashed in with an aluminum baseball bat next to the decrepit VW bus she was living in in the parking lot of an unusual, understated, quiet lesbian bar, Kate and Detective Ed Taylor find the Lesbian’s in the establishment close mouthed, distrusting and unhelpful. Realizing Ed sets them off, and though she is a discretely gay woman herself, she nevertheless represents police and the establishment that are more likely to be assertive in negative ways rather than protective to minority groups.
This is the 2nd of Forrest’s nine Kate Delafield mysteries. She created the first Lesbian woman police detective, includes explicit erotic scenes, looks into treatment of gays, especially gay women in the 1980s. We see the dangers, perceptions, prejudices. Lots to discuss including how much and how little has changed in threats, inequality, danger, job insecurity, personal rights.
How has mystery and detective fiction incorporated the contemporary world’s globalism; dilemmas of race, gender, ethnicity and class; religious conflict; historical revision; and others?
Does the mystery merely reflect its cultural environment, or does it help to elucidate or even change that same environment? What do mysteries bring today’s readers that we really need, though we might not have known we need it? How much social change can a formulaic plot generate or reflect?
With a 1987 copyright, Katherine V. Forrest’s Murder at the Nightwood Bar, we follows LAPD homicide detective Kate Delafield and and her near to retiring white Male partner to the murder scene of beautiful, young blond Dory Quillan. Her head bashed in with an aluminum baseball bat next to the decrepit VW bus she was living in in the parking lot of an unusual, understated, quiet lesbian bar, Kate and Detective Ed Taylor find the Lesbian’s in the establishment close mouthed, distrusting and unhelpful. Realizing Ed sets them off, and though she is a discretely gay woman herself, she nevertheless represents police and the establishment that are more likely to be assertive in negative ways rather than protective to minority groups.
This is the 2nd of Forrest’s nine Kate Delafield mysteries. She created the first Lesbian woman police detective, includes explicit erotic scenes, looks into treatment of gays, especially gay women in the 1980s. We see the dangers, perceptions, prejudices. Lots to discuss including how much and how little has changed in threats, inequality, danger, job insecurity, personal rights.
March 28, 2018
Forrest's books, aside from being satisfyingly well-written, also provide a fascinating window into the past and what life was like for a more-or-less out lesbian in 80s Los Angeles. It feels like holding something very precious in one's hands. I kept thinking... this person was there. This is their perspective on what it was really like.
The book very openly deals with homophobia and lesbians' vulnerability to state violence. It was also interesting to see the gay/lesbian solidarity in the form of the AIDS fund, and one of the most moving PRIDE scenes I have ever had the pleasure of reading.
The author takes some cringe-worthy steps dealing with race though. She fetishizes and exoticizes a mixed-race love interest for the main character, and the pure and innocent-looking young murder victim turns out to have an older Black lesbian basically playing the Mammy role in her life.
appeal: California queer history, lesbian bar culture, lesbian detective, police procedural
The book very openly deals with homophobia and lesbians' vulnerability to state violence. It was also interesting to see the gay/lesbian solidarity in the form of the AIDS fund, and one of the most moving PRIDE scenes I have ever had the pleasure of reading.
The author takes some cringe-worthy steps dealing with race though. She fetishizes and exoticizes a mixed-race love interest for the main character, and the pure and innocent-looking young murder victim turns out to have an older Black lesbian basically playing the Mammy role in her life.
appeal: California queer history, lesbian bar culture, lesbian detective, police procedural
March 18, 2024
A pulpy but well-written and interesting murder mystery with a lesbian detective, a lesbian victim, and a lesbian community.
Gently melancholic, this detective novel addresses important issues (though triggering: child abuse), and represents lesbian lives as complex, deep and varied (though limited to Los Angeles in the 80s). I enjoyed reading it, found the characters rich and their struggles realistic.
This is better than the first book in this detective series (Amateur City), but I found both enjoyable and an easy read. I liked how this book very-briefly referenced the events of the previous one, but it definitely also works as a stand-alone.
"To be filed away in the records of a police station – I guess that's more immortality than most of us will ever have."
Gently melancholic, this detective novel addresses important issues (though triggering: child abuse), and represents lesbian lives as complex, deep and varied (though limited to Los Angeles in the 80s). I enjoyed reading it, found the characters rich and their struggles realistic.
This is better than the first book in this detective series (Amateur City), but I found both enjoyable and an easy read. I liked how this book very-briefly referenced the events of the previous one, but it definitely also works as a stand-alone.
January 29, 2025
Murder at the Nightwood Bar by Katherine Forrest
Murder at the Nightwood Bar is a well written lesbian crime novel. On the ground outside of a 1980’s hang-out friendly lesbian bar lay a 19-year-old murder victim. The detective, Kate Delafield is well accepted by lesbian readers as she feels realistic. As one of my real-life police officer friends told me, officers sometimes have to endure suspicious and obstructive people just as Kate Delafield did, even by fellow lesbian women who should be her allies. The story is interesting for mystery readers because this book gets “into” topics of interests to lesbians: a gay pride parade, issues of lesbians being “out” at work, homophobia, parental rejection, and gay bashing.
The story really comes together at the end, earning this book a five-star rating. It is an easy read that is hard to put down.
Murder at the Nightwood Bar is a well written lesbian crime novel. On the ground outside of a 1980’s hang-out friendly lesbian bar lay a 19-year-old murder victim. The detective, Kate Delafield is well accepted by lesbian readers as she feels realistic. As one of my real-life police officer friends told me, officers sometimes have to endure suspicious and obstructive people just as Kate Delafield did, even by fellow lesbian women who should be her allies. The story is interesting for mystery readers because this book gets “into” topics of interests to lesbians: a gay pride parade, issues of lesbians being “out” at work, homophobia, parental rejection, and gay bashing.
The story really comes together at the end, earning this book a five-star rating. It is an easy read that is hard to put down.
February 10, 2019
This was a fun read. I had actually seen this book recommended in a review of another book that I bought during the same time and I was instantly fascinated. A lesbian detective in the 1980s? That's literally my jam. This was a fun book despite the horrific tragedy spoken about therein. There are some inaccuracies as far as the criminal justice system goes and some dated stereotypes in re: black men so take warning. The characters are colorful in personality, the lead is noir-angsty (which is exactly what I wanted), and despite some glaring things, this was fun. I'm definitely going to be reading more Kate Delafield and more by Katherine V. Forrest.
February 28, 2019
I was born in the ‘80’s and this book brings me into the ‘80’s. I really like and appreciate the insight this book has given me in this period in time.
In this second book in the Kate Delafield series, we get more insight in Kate’s character true the murder investigation. The plot twist is surprising and gut wrenching.
On a personal basis Kate is recovering from the terrible loss of her life partner and opens up for love, but picks the wrong person for that. All in all a comfortable read, nice writing style. If you’re into detectives and don’t need a happy ending but want to read a series, you should pick up this series.
In this second book in the Kate Delafield series, we get more insight in Kate’s character true the murder investigation. The plot twist is surprising and gut wrenching.
On a personal basis Kate is recovering from the terrible loss of her life partner and opens up for love, but picks the wrong person for that. All in all a comfortable read, nice writing style. If you’re into detectives and don’t need a happy ending but want to read a series, you should pick up this series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2020
Very, very good. Way better than the 1st book in terms of crime-clues-suspense, twists and turns. So much so that I totally underestimated the seriousness and depth of the author’s research and willingness of employing truths and realism to the story in this rather distressing subject. She dove and went far into it. Hit closer to home for me than I anticipated. I had to actually stop reading for a while and take deep breaths, reflecting on my life and past. I guess the author succeeded in every way possible. The ending was perfect.
January 2, 2022
Detective Kate Delafield is assigned to the homicide of a going woman outside a lesbian bar, a case that hits close to home because she is a closeted lesbian working for the LAPD in the mid 1980s. The case takes several twists and turns and Kate begins to wonder if the girl's parents had a connection with her brutal death.
Good police work tale with Kate becoming involved with a witness to the case, both professionally and personally. This is the second Kate book I have read and looking forward to the third.
Good police work tale with Kate becoming involved with a witness to the case, both professionally and personally. This is the second Kate book I have read and looking forward to the third.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2019
This is the first book I've checked out of my community's LGBT library, and I picked it because I love mysteries. The book was written in and takes place in the 1980s, offering a different perspective on gay culture than I'm used to seeing. While the lesbian themes of the book were at times heavy-handed, they were profound. This book offers more than the typical detective novel, putting issues of police brutality, gay rights, and chosen family at the center of the story.
May 29, 2024
4.5 stars. This was leaps and bounds better than book one. I thoroughly enjoyed this from beginning to end. I’m starting to warm up to our main character, Kate and I thought the case was absolutely fascinating and it had me hooked. Dory’s story was so tragic and the reveal had me shocked. I didn’t see it coming at all though it really should’ve been obvious. I am looking forward to continuing on with this series. Hopefully book one is going to be the worst of them.
September 26, 2018
Damn, this series is incredible. Finished book 1 and 2 in three days, would probably have tried to finish the entire series by now if I'd had time. Love the characters, story, writing. This is my new favorite series.
June 26, 2019
As my first Kate Delafield novel, it was fantastic, a true example of LGBTQIA Crime Fiction( Apart from the Donald Strachey Series by Richard Stevenson) Kate Delafield is a great example of this kind of writing is. A Definite Re-read.
May 3, 2020
This is the fourth Lesbian Mystery I have read in the last 10 days. This was the best of all of them. Well written and believable. It was a smoothly run investigation that made sense. I enjoyed this book and will read more by this Author.
February 21, 2021
I love a murder mystery and this did not disappoint.
Set around a lesbian bar, Kate had to overcome prejudice for being a cop. It was a good story. well written and entertaining. Worth reading alone for it being set in the 1980’s and seeing what it was like to live as a lesbian then.
Set around a lesbian bar, Kate had to overcome prejudice for being a cop. It was a good story. well written and entertaining. Worth reading alone for it being set in the 1980’s and seeing what it was like to live as a lesbian then.
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