This is book that leaves me conflicted. Abbot is undeniably a talented writer. She has a way with phrasing and a compelling voice. The first half of this book just left me cold. Her POV character in this book, Lora King, is a young woman in her early 20's in 1950's Los Angeles. Lora's Brother is a tough DA investigator who has just become married to a woman with a dark past. Lora attempts to get to the bottom of some things and hilarity ensues.
I am caught between what I thought of as a dreary first half of this book, and the excellent second half. The first half was filled with 50's era "Suzy Homemaker" facts and it read more like an homage to the author's research then a story. The plot moved forward at a snail's pace.
Around the middle of the book, business really starts to pick up. The plot is driven unrelentingly forward and the book ends in a manner that is satisfying if a bit pat.
I liked the book immensely from the middle on and will look for more Abbott in the future.
3.5/5