A Killing Cure

Jane Lawless #4

by Ellen Hart

When board members of the Amelia Gower Women's Club begin dying - one by one - lesbian restaurateur Jane Lawless once again exchanges the heat of the kitchen for the sweltering danger of part-time private investigation.
On the eve of a crucial announcement, Charlotte Fortnum, chairwoman of the Board of Directors and prominent community figure, is murdered. Then another board member is found dead in the club's private chamber. Has infighting among the board gone as far as murder? Are the secrets and suspicions swirling around club members and their families worth killing for?
Along with her theatrical sidekick Cordelia Thorn, Jane begins to uncover the dark secrets that linger in the corridors of Minneapolis' oldest women's club. But as Jane takes on a range of high-profile suspects and closes in on the murderer, her own life hangs in the balance....

Genres: Mystery, LGBT, Fiction, Crime, Lesbian, Cozy Mystery, Queer

268 pages, Hardcover

First published August 11, 1993

About the author

Ellen Hart is the author of twenty-eight crime novels in two different series. She is a five-time winner of the Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Mystery, a three-time winner of the Minnesota Book Award for Best Popular Fiction, a three-time winner of the Golden Crown Literary Award in several categories, a recipient of the Alice B Medal, and was made an official GLBT Literary Saint at the Saints & Sinners Literary Festival in New Orleans in 2005. In 2010, Ellen received the GCLS Trailblazer Award for lifetime achievement in the field of lesbian literature. For the past fourteen years, Ellen has taught "An Introduction to Writing the Modern Mystery" through the The Loft Literary Center, the largest independent writing community in the nation. Ellen's latest Sophie Greenway mystery is No Reservations Required (Ballantine). Rest for the Wicked, the twentieth Jane Lawless mystery, will be released by St. Martin's/Minotaur in October 2012. Bella Books has recently revived the out-of-print books by publishing them in both trade paperback and E-book. Ellen lives in the Minneapolis area with her partner of over 35 years.

Reviews

[Jhosy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me say that I enjoyed the narrative, but Jane was a complete idiot in this book.
Falling into traps, relying on suspects from her own list, being surprised by something the suspect himself confessed to have done ... And one of the things that really made me very angry: thinking about giving a second chance to her girlfriend who betrayed her with another woman and to make matters worse, the girlfriend still said that she needed some time to decide if she wanted Jane or the other with whom she betrayed!
Seriously, Jane ... Have a little more self-esteem and self-love. She didn't need to think of nothing else.
And this end ..! UGH ...
Anyway ... 3.8 ... The way the resolution of the mystery is written is still unsatisfactory

[Ronald Wilcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have really enjoyed the first four books in this series of Jane Lawless mysteries. She is a restauranteur in Minnesota and she keeps getting involved in solving crimes. This time she is hired to determine if an older woman on the Board of a local charity was murdered after she had fallen to her death in the attic. The mystery is well played out and both Jane and her friend Cordelia are very believable in their portrayals. I found it an absorbing story this time.

[Shan( Shans_Shelves) 💜 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am officially addicted and GOD I loved Cordelia even more in this book, which I didn’t think was possible. Jane went through so much during this mystery and it broke my heart!! Damn she’s a strong heroine!!

[Beachgirl · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love a good mystery but it needs to be somewhat realistic. Jane wouldn't have made it very far in even a close proximity to real life.

And maybe because of the silly chances she takes I lost interest and skipped to the end chapters.

[Isaac A R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, I suppose it sets a good example of justifying your actions even when they are really bad. One thing I had an issue with is why would you take a drink from someone who abducted twice you and said that he was going to kill you, even after being drugged like this before?

[Georgia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an ok mystery. Since it was written in 1993 it touches upon sensitive subjects of the time, lesbianism, AIDS, women's clubs to help women in society!

[Tink · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 down.

[E G Melby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dang. Started with #4?

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a huge Jane Lawless fan. The mysteries are compelling plus they are set here in Minneapolis, so I enjoy knowing exactly where the locations are. Recommend the series. Kristi & Abby Tabby

[Spuddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

#4 in the Jane Lawless mystery series set in Minneapolis. Jane’s life seems to be on an even keel at last—her restaurant is doing well, there’s a new love interest in the form of Dottie, a city councilwoman, and no one she knows has died lately. But then her father, a defense attorney, receives a fake pipe bomb threat, which everyone believes is related to his new client, Emery Gower, who has been charged with the murder of the head of a local women’s club. Jane decides to look into things at the club (which, coincidentally, her best friend Cordelia has recently joined) on her own, but is surprised when, a few days later, after the supposed accidental death of another member of their board of directors, one of the club’s directors approaches her and asks her to secretly investigate *that* death. The red herrings fly fast and furiously in this book, and I pretty much fell for one of them throughout most of the book, thinking I’d solved the case when indeed I hadn’t. The characters are interesting, though perhaps just a tad bit clichéd, and I do really like Jane.

I enjoyed the book, but there’s something slightly “off” about the writing style—perhaps it’s that the dialogue seems a tad bit forced, but I’m not sure if that’s it, or if it’s just the whole package. A good read, but not a great one, despite being surprised at the outcome. I’ll continue to read the series—Hart’s right on with her portrayal of the local Twin Cities settings and the main character feels like an old friend after a few books.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane Lawless, sleuthing restraunteur is back with her family and her flamboyant friend and threatrical confidant, Cordelia Thorpe. This time Jane is hired outright to find a ledger and some jewels stolen from a women's club/foundation. This theft is linked to one then two murders of women connected to the club. Secret societies and family secrets entwine in this well-written mystery. Jane's love life takes an unfair and unhappy turn, as the mystery deepens. She handles violence, addiction, and human frailty with her quiet ways.

The reader's understanding of Jane, her family, and her friends continues to grow as we care about what happens to her on a very human level.

The reviewers and blurb writers of this series always calls Cordelia her sidekick, but Cordelia is not Robin to Jane's Batman nor Tonto to Jane's Lone Ranger. Cordelia is a larger than life, caring, funny, odd duck all on her own. Her romantic adventures and wise-cracking ways have you smiling through the vein of quiet sadness everpresent in these books.

[Kathleen Hagen]

A Killing Cure, by Ellen Hart, a-minus, Narrated by Aimee Jolson, Produced by Audible Inc., downloaded from audible.com.

Jane is called in and in fact paid to investigate events at a prestigious women’s club. Two of the four directors have died in odd circumstances in the past two weeks. Were their deaths accidental, coincidental, or murder? While Jane is hired to find answers, the directors keep putting limits on what they’ll allow her to find out about the club’s workings. Jane is totally frustrated because they’re asking for answers but not giving her any clues or evidence to work on. Jane has started a new relationship and it appears that
Her lover, Dorie, who is on the City Council, is involved in some way with the women’s club as well. This one is quite good and gives us more personal background on Jane as well.

[Daphne Birchfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you I'm glad someone had a gun this time although jane didn't have it when she needed it. if she were a really person she would have been killed. she just keeps getting lucky. its getting annoying that she constantly keeps putting herself in danger. BUY A GUN JANE! dorrie and Miriam got off to easy. somebody would have gotten there butt kicked. Jane is such a pushover. evie get it together it was an accident. Julia needs to stop acting all suck up and perfect. and everybody needs to stop hating on jane's dad. he's a defense lawyer its a part of his job to give people the benefit of doubt on whether they have committed a crime or not.

[Dawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good mystery, with a compelling heroine (Jane Lawless). This isn't the first in the Jane Lawless mysteries, so I probably missed out on some of the nuances of the relationships, but it didn't matter. This is a great beach or travel book: not very dense, the characters are relatively straight-forward, and the mystery trips along at an easily digestible pace. I read it over the course of a couple of weeks while sleep-deprived on background gigs, and it was the perfect book to keep my fuzzy mind engaged so I would be ready for the next set-up.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best one in the series so far. I am enjoying the local flavor, the strong women characters and the mysteries. Each book seems to get better and more developed as the author is finding her style and stride. The main character needs to take some self defense classes if she is going to continually find herself in these dangerous situations. Even though I guessed the killer there were enough red herrings to keep things interesting. Looking forward to the next book in the series.Ellen Hart

[Julie]

I love the Jane Lawless series!! with her sidekick Cordelia they manage there way in and out of troubles that always take you on a wonderful adventure. Being originally from the area I love reading about the Minneapolis settings. It's great fun to read about an area you have been to. Ellen Hart brings me back to Minneapolis and surrounding areas time and time again and I love it!! A huge shout out to Ellen Hart!! Thank you for sharing Jane's adventures with us :)

[Brenda Faucon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ellen Hart is an AWESOME author, and the Jane Lawless mysteries are fabulous reads, one by one. I hate that in the bookstores these are pigeonholed under GLBT, they really need to be in the mystery section so more mystery booklovers can discover these stories. Jane Lawless is a pretty awesome protagonist, and the dramatic Cordelia, the funniest and most formidable sidekick EVER. Highly recommend!

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

very boring.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a good read. It was more enjoyable by the end.

[Cat Voors]

Greatly enjoy Ellen Hart and Jane Lawless. Would recommend them.

[M. White · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first Jane Lawless mystery, and I look forward to reading the whole series. Her strong female characters and clever plot make for a great read.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun light read