The Rock & Roll Queen of Bedlam. A Wise-Cracking Tale of Secrets, Peril, and Murder! Marilee Brothers. 2009. Medallion Press. 300 pages.
Panty hose are a tool of the devil. On a tall woman, the crotch hangs at knee level, so she's forced to crouch and shuffle like Quasimodo. If a woman is vertically challenged, the things slither downward, pooling around her ankles like a reptilian second skin. My trouble began with panty hose.
I didn't love it. I didn't hate it. I found it an easy read, a light read. I liked *some* of the humor, especially the first paragraph. But. It wasn't all to my liking--my taste. I will mention, however, that the jacket description is flawed at best. It emphasizes all the wrong aspects of the novel.
This novel stars a teacher, Allegra Thome, who enjoys singing karaoke. It is because of her stumble into trouble that she loses her boyfriend, Michael, and meets her new love interest, Sloane. That relationship intensifies when one of Allegra's students goes missing. Sara Stepaneck is close friends with her nephew, Nick, in addition to being one of her own students. Most everyone is convinced it's just another runaway, but there are just enough clues to indicate otherwise. Trouble is that people close to Sara are turning up dead--her dad, her social worker. Will Allegra be next? Will her private investigation into this young girl's disappearance prove deadly?
© 2011 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews