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Starletta Duvall Mystery #3
Green Money
For homicide detective Lieutenant Starletta Duvall and her partner, Dominic Parisi, the torching of a homeless woman is a random act of unspeakable violence. The autopsy, however, turns up an enigmatic calling card, suggesting that the crime scene's chilling proximity to the exclusive prep school is no coincidence. Before Star and Dom can prove their gut instincts, another corpse is found. When the killer delivers the third victim gift-wrapped, a lethal and increasingly perverse game seems afoot.
But appearances can be deceiving. . . .
But appearances can be deceiving. . . .
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 2000
About the author
Judith Smith-Levin
7 books18 followersJUDITH SMITH-LEVIN was born in Chicago and has been, at various times, a model, disc jockey, secretary, newspaper reporter, television line producer, and bookstore owner. She has also made history as the first uniformed female patrol officer in the city of Worcester, Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 2, 2015
This was my first book by the author, as I came into ownership the book by chance. Due to a misplaced order my flatmate ended up with this read and I said I was willing to give it a go as I’m not one to turn down a read no matter what it is (least of all when it is in my favourite genre).
It’s okay to read this book as a standalone but I feel as though it would have been much more enjoyable had I read the other books in the series. I felt as though I would have been better able to understand the characters that way, that I would have been able to connect with them better than I did. Don’t get me wrong I loved the friendship between the characters – it is one of the best I have read in a long time – but I wanted to understand it better than I did as I felt like an outsider looking in through my lack of knowledge.
Unfortunately, what let it down for me was the fact I wasn’t really given the mystery I was expecting. Everything was known from early on, we merely watched the police make the connections rather than being able to work it out ourselves, and having to work it out myself is my favourite part my mystery books. If there had been more for me to work out I’m sure I would have enjoyed it much more.
Overall, it was a surprisingly good read yet I’m unsure whether I will go back and read the prior books in the series as I wasn’t given everything I wanted from the book. At present going back to read the other books is unlikely but I wouldn’t turn them down if someone offered them to me.
It’s okay to read this book as a standalone but I feel as though it would have been much more enjoyable had I read the other books in the series. I felt as though I would have been better able to understand the characters that way, that I would have been able to connect with them better than I did. Don’t get me wrong I loved the friendship between the characters – it is one of the best I have read in a long time – but I wanted to understand it better than I did as I felt like an outsider looking in through my lack of knowledge.
Unfortunately, what let it down for me was the fact I wasn’t really given the mystery I was expecting. Everything was known from early on, we merely watched the police make the connections rather than being able to work it out ourselves, and having to work it out myself is my favourite part my mystery books. If there had been more for me to work out I’m sure I would have enjoyed it much more.
Overall, it was a surprisingly good read yet I’m unsure whether I will go back and read the prior books in the series as I wasn’t given everything I wanted from the book. At present going back to read the other books is unlikely but I wouldn’t turn them down if someone offered them to me.
August 5, 2021
The third book of the series doesn't disappoint in bringing to life the intricate and complex relationships of all the characters. I particularly enjoy Smith-Levin's writing in creating the character voices because they never sound stiff or generic. I enjoy the banter between Starletta and her partner since it sounds realistic. It is effortless to imagine the character's voices, especially the intonation.
As for the plot, it is what I expected, as this is the third book. The reader can catch on to who is the guilty party in the beginning, and we are following along with the police. At the same time, they piece it together to catch the culprit. In the end, there is always a huge twist. The story is good, but it isn't an A-HA! moment.
This book teeters on the line of political correctness, especially for today's times. It made me raise a few eyebrows, but not enough to clutch the pearls, but a reminder that it is dated.
The focus isn't so much on the murder but on the relationship between Star and the hot doctor. I don't really care for the romance as much as wanting to learn more about the motivation behind the murders, but overall it is still entertaining. This is a quick read and a "palette" cleanser in between reads for me.
As for the plot, it is what I expected, as this is the third book. The reader can catch on to who is the guilty party in the beginning, and we are following along with the police. At the same time, they piece it together to catch the culprit. In the end, there is always a huge twist. The story is good, but it isn't an A-HA! moment.
This book teeters on the line of political correctness, especially for today's times. It made me raise a few eyebrows, but not enough to clutch the pearls, but a reminder that it is dated.
The focus isn't so much on the murder but on the relationship between Star and the hot doctor. I don't really care for the romance as much as wanting to learn more about the motivation behind the murders, but overall it is still entertaining. This is a quick read and a "palette" cleanser in between reads for me.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews