Justice in the Shadows
When the Dancing Stops
  Justice
in the Shadows
by Radclyffe ISBN 1-933110-03-1 Bold Strokes Books, Inc. 1029 Livezey Lane Philadelphia, PA 19119 September2004 Paperback/$18.99/302 pages Justice in the Shadows, by award winning author Radclyffe, is the fourth action-packed mystery in the Justice series following the engrossing prequels, A Matter of Trust, Shield of Justice, and In Pursuit of Justice. To her credit and her fans delight, Radclyffe has successfully produced another wonderful addition to her impressive writing résumé. She is the author of twenty (and counting) published novels. Her writing is posted on-line, included in anthologies, and is available in other venues. Not surprisingly, Justice in the Shadows is a 2005 Golden Crown Literary Society award finalist. In the latest Justice book, two cops have been assassinated, a young girl is dead, and an innocent woman lies in a coma, all the result of a child pornography ring. Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) Detective Sergeant Rebecca Frye wants to find out who is behind the murders of her partner Jeff Cruz, Officer Jimmy Hogan, a young prostitute, and the attempted murder of J.T. Sloan…that is until Clark Avery, the Justice Department Investigator, pulls the plug on the investigation. Something reeks of an inside job and Rebecca Frye will not rest until justice is done; she does not intend to add the unsolved case to the dead pile. Captain Henry gives the okay for Frye to head her own secret task force to see what she can uncover. Rebecca puts together a team of unlikely candidates including her new partner, Detective William Watts, internet sleuth J.T. Sloan, and Sloan’s business associate Jason McBride. Other members of her team include rookie cop Dellon Mitchell, young prostitute and certified informant Sandy, and Rebecca’s lover PPD psychiatrist Dr. Catherine Rawlings. With a great cast of characters, the reader can’t help but root for each one. Sloan’s lover, Michael Lassiter, lies in a coma after she becomes a mistaken target meant for Sloan…who will go to any lengths to avenge her attackers. Radclyffe is a master at combining intense police drama and mystery along with an in-depth look at three loving and fulfilling lesbian relationships. She keeps the reader interested, excited, and guessing; it’s hard to put the book down. As always, Radclyffe’s work has compelling narrative, enough conflict and drama to sustain the story, unforgettable characters, and natural sounding credible dialogue. In addition, her writing is a perfect example of how sex does not get in the way of the plot; the sex scenes move the plot along and add depth to her characters. The author shows us the tough exterior of Rebecca when she is commanding her team, then contrasts that with her tender side when she makes love to her soul mate, Catherine. The same can be said about the budding relationship between Mitchell and Sandy. Mitchell is a hotheaded young cop, while Sandy is a street wise, smart mouthed kid. The growth of these two characters is particularly captivating. As in all good series, several major story lines are resolved, while a few loose threads remain to keep us on edge for the next book in this series. I’m looking forward to the continuing adventures when Justice Served comes out June 2005. I recommend Radclyffe’s Justice in the Shadows to anyone who enjoys intense crime stories with lots of intrigue, and with hot sex thrown in for good measure. If you like this kind of drama, don’t miss Justice in the Shadows...a five star novel. |
 When the Dancing Stops by Therese Szymanski The First Brett Higgins Mystery Bella Books ISBN: 1-931513-51-1 P.O.Box 10543 Tallahassee, Florida 32302 1997 / Paperback / 259 pages / $11.95 Originally published by The Naiad Press - ISBN 1-56280-186-4 Therese Szymanski’s When the Dancing Stops, is the first installment in her popular Brett Higgins Mystery series. With a fast-paced gripping plot, memorable characters, both good and evil, action that doesn’t stop, and scenes and dialogue that ring true for the underworld society of the porn industry, the story captures the reader from the very first page until the last. Brett Higgins is twenty-three, smart, and a college graduate employed in a job she finds fun and challenging. Brett’s boss Rick DeSilva, the mogul of porn, owns an adult theater, an escort service, and a pornography distribution service with adult bookstores, phone sex service, and other similar enterprises; Brett is his first lieutenant. She works as his general manager and is the head of the advertising/marketing department. Brett may be on the wrong side of the law at times, but this reviewer likes and roots for the tough, sweet, and sensitive sides of the multi-faceted character. Brett does what she has to do to survive, as honestly as she can, and she goes to any length to keep those she loves safe. Frankie Lorenzini works closely with Rick and Brett as “security”—he watches their backs. The trio, Rick, Brett, and Frankie, are not only business associates; they are like family to one another. Brett has a woman in her life whom she loves and protects, an exquisite exotic dancer, Storm. Brett cares deeply for Storm but has never totally committed to her—then she meets Allison Sullivan. Allie is only seventeen, cute, pretty, and just coming out when she first lays eyes on Brett. Allie is attracted to Brett’s dark, mysterious, and driven side. In addition, Allie feels that Brett is refreshingly different from her ex-girlfriend, Kirsten—a cheating control freak who took her for granted—which draws her to Brett even more. Kirsten doesn’t accept the breakup as final and she tries to win Allie back, albeit dishonestly. Brett wonders if Allie is her soul mate. Can opposites attract and stay attracted? Allie is from a loving family on the right side of the tracks; Brett is from the wrong side. Can they remain a couple against all odds? Brett loves both Storm and Allie; she is hard-pressed to choose between them. Allie, on the other hand, knows exactly what she wants and hopes it lasts a lifetime. What will Brett decide—will it be Brett’s decision to make? When people start ending up dead, some who are close to Brett, the police are not the only ones investigating the murders. Brett wants to find out too. Therese Szymanski is a master at devising plots that keep you guessing and then surprise you with their answers. She delivers rich imaginative text that is refreshingly real, to the point, and she paints vivid pictures that set the mood. The action sequences reflect the detail and flourish of Szymanski’s award-winning playwright talents, as do the sizzling sex scenes. To say that they stimulate certain juices to flow is an understatement. When the Dancing Stops will enthrall readers who enjoy mysteries laced with sex, love, jealousy, greed, murder, and intrigue. There’s no telling who will survive this rollercoaster ride. Once you read the first Brett Higgins Mystery, you will be eager to read the entire series just to see what Szymanski comes up with next. If you long to escape from the mundane world for a while, pick up a copy of When the Dancing Stops. |