Janet Evanovitch gets political. (That sentence is a David Montgomery blurb machine sentence.) The magnetic (or do I mean charismatic? both, I think) Debi Alper has written a crime caper with a sharp edge, in which sexual perversions are mashed up with a South London commune to create a mystery that zings along. I have lived a very boring life for many years now, so can't remember if communes really exist like the idyllic and supportive group portrayed here -- the couple of times I have lived that way people kept nicking the milk out of the fridge -- but one can hope that in an alternative universe to the one I find myself in, young people abandoned or abused by their biological families can find this kind of home.
Social comment aside, Nirvana Bites features a witty detective story with a difference (stapled fish, anyone?), a client with a serious metal fetish, an appealing heroine and assorted bizarre London lowlife. I have my serious doubts about those south Londoners after reading this book -- no wonder taxis are reluctant to go there after 11 p.m.
Debi's second book, Trading Tatiana, has just been reviewed very positively in Mystery Woman magazine.
Oh, Maxine. You are truly a star of the first order. Thank you so much!
It's been a bit of a mad week (often is down here in Sarf London) and I've had little blogging space so have only just come across this.
I am truly grateful to you for your generosity of spirit.
Incidentally, Nirvana is a co-op rather than a commune, in that everyone has their own flat so the milk issue doesn't arise ...
Posted by: Debi | 16 June 2006 at 12:34
I have it on my TBR shelf so will hopefully be reading it in the not too distant future. After reading your review, I'm looking forward to it more than ever.
Posted by: Sharon J | 04 July 2006 at 02:02