Il delitto di Fort Point

Ronnie Ventana Mystery #1

by Gloria White, Mariagrazia Bianchi Oddera (Translator)

Ronnie Ventana è una investigatrice esperta in sistemi di allarme, ma i suoi affari non vanno molto bene. Poi una mattina, mentre sta facendo jogging sotto uno dei ponti di San Francisco, vede compiersi un delitto. E ancora più sconvolgente l’assassino è Pete August, noto investigatore.

Genres: Mystery

221 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1991

About the author

San Francisco’s two-time EDGAR AWARD finalist GLORIA WHITE is the author of the VERONICA “RONNIE” VENTANA series which features a bicultural (Mexican/Anglo), rule-bending private eye whose deceased parents were cat burglars and who herself is a professional at compromising burglar alarm systems--only she calls it “security consulting.” Ventana is, according to Publisher's Weekly, "an appealing protagonist who engages in intelligent, stylish sleuthing.”

Published in the US, GERMANY, JAPAN, GREAT BRITAIN, ITALY, and audio book format, the series’ other multiple nominations include Shamus, Anthony, and Publishers Weekly's Audio Best of the Year.

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main character of this novel has got to be one of the most irritating private detectives in the history of private detective lit. Talk about self absorbed, manipulative and single minded. Geez. I finished the novel because it's set in SF and I enjoy novels set in the city. But if you can get past her personality, the story itself is intriguing for a detective story-at least it's not easy to predict what's going to happen.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a solid entry in the woman PI sub genre. The twist here is that she is the daughter of cat burglars, who did not teach her their skills and wanted her to be legit. But she is fascinated with B&E and cracking alarm systems, which she does to support her work as a PI. It is set in Los Angeles in 1991, which is when it was written.

There were a few very peculiar details, like pay phones only cost 20 cents for a call and cigarettes being available from a machine, both of which went out with the 1970s as far as I’m aware.

The book started a bit slowly, but after the first couple chapters it got quite engrossing, a “just one more chapter” book.

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

MURDER ON THE RUN - VG
White, Gloria - 1st in series

Meet Veronica "Ronnie" Ventana, daughter of the infamous Ventana's, the couple who made cat burglary classy. But Ronnie, with her special expertise in burglar alarm systems -- getting past them, that is -- and her best friend, Blackie Coogan, shamus emeritus of San Francisico, operate on the legit side of the law.

Running is supposed to be the path to health, but for Ronnie it's suddenly a direct route to danger. At six A.M. on the edge of the bay, she's the jogger who stumbles onto the scene of a crime. The killer has seen her face and she's ID'ed him as a political honcho with enough clout to cover up anything . . . even murder. Now she's running for her life from the barrios to San Francisco's ritziest neighborhoods . . . and her destination is that dark place called Justice and Revenge.

Great character, very good start to a new series.

[Moonyean · Rating 5 out of 5]

You don't see Gloria White's books around much any more, but I liked all of them.

[Francesca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting main character and other character developments, very police procedural for an independent detective type mystery.

[Charles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook

[Mike Taverner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty shallow but hey, I finished it!