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File Not Found: An Avery Vincent Mystery
The author of such classic Lesbian Erotica titles as The Throne Trilogy, Nighthawk and LedAstray has written her first murder mystery. Sexy, original, and unique, File Not Found introduces Avery Vincent, a beautiful, sophisticated computer consultant who is thrust into the role of cyber-detective by the execution style murder of her girlfriend Shawna.
In her quest for answers, Avery uncovers Shawna's mysterious criminal activities which begin to look more and more like corporate espionage. Lulled into complacency by the relative safety of the Internet, Avery places herself in danger of losing her own life if she continues her obsession with finding the murderer.
Set againist the hip urban backdrop of Seattle Washington, Avery pursues the truth as she herself is pursued by Hatch Salvador, an intense butch woman with an eye for the ladies. Hatch wastes no time making her move for the now-available beauty, with a surprising outcome.
196 pages, Paperback
First published April 15, 1998
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June 18, 2020This book is better than you might think by looking at the cover—an oversimplified line drawing of the Seattle skyline. It is a rather early book about computer crimes and hacking, but it is by no means boring or nerdy.
Avery Vincent is a very fashion-conscious computer consultant to various corporations. In fact, she met Shawna Simms in a chat room and was enjoying their four-month relationship when she finds Shawna murdered in the woman’s own living room. The shock of finding her body makes it essential that she find out who murdered her, especially when Avery finds out that her girlfriend seems to have died because of some illegal hacking she was doing on line. But what? To solve this question, Avery must become a hacker herself. Using Shawna’s notes—which she steals from the woman’s apartment—she begins the tedious task of finding out the truth about a woman she thought she knew well.
Does it sound okay so far? I hope so, because it gets better when Avery’s personal life gets taken over by a very butch lesbian UPS driver named Hatch. Hatch not only has exquisite taste in interior decorating and professional-level talent in playing Spanish music on her guitar, but she wears a strap-on dildo under her clothes. At all times, even when she’s alone in her bathrobe in her own home. Hatch has very urgent and very powerful sexual needs, and she is able to satisfy them with any woman she wants. And she wants Avery.
Aver at times seems so fragile and introspective, almost inexperienced, that her determination to find Shawna’s killer comes as a pleasant surprise. Another surprise is her sexual appetite and appreciation for Hatch’s considerable skills in the sexual satisfaction department. That is, until Hatch forces her into sex. If this is a spoiler, tough. It is at this point that the book gets its gravitas. Hatch is described as man-like in almost every way possible and not only man-like, but like an abusive and controlling man; the kind of man described negatively in many lesbian mysteries. The type of man who can abuse his woman, then turn right around and come to her rescue when danger threatens. Will Avery go back to Hatch—even though she finds out that Hatch has raped at least one other woman before her? Well, the answer is probably yes—just like many woman take their abusive husbands back even though they have black yes and broken bones. This is a book that should actually be studied by women’s groups. And Hatch’s sexuality would make a good the subject for an essay. For me to delve any deeper into it here would smack of pornography.
As in other novels I have read recently, Oakgrove makes the mistake of weaving in and out of point of view, sometimes from one paragraph to the next. Unless you are kind of literary, you might not notice this sort of thing, but it is a lazy way to write and quite unartistic. I have found this in several lesbian mysteries lately (such as Last Rites by Tracey Richardson for instance. It starts the novel out with a handicap it doesn't need. And Oakgrove does it constantly—sometimes it is impossible to figure out whose mind the author is in.
All in all, though, this is a satisfying book—even more satisfying because it is a stand-alone; I would not want another book with Avery trying to figure out if she should ditch Hatch or invite her to move in. It is satisfying in another way, too. Avery Vincent reminds me very much of Jen Madden, the protagonist in Peta Fox’s surprisingly good mystery series. I would love to know if Madden has read Oakgrove—almost as much as I would enjoy knowing if Artemis Oakgrove is the author’s birth-certificate name.
Note: I read the first One Rogue Press printing of this novel.
Another Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
Avery Vincent is a very fashion-conscious computer consultant to various corporations. In fact, she met Shawna Simms in a chat room and was enjoying their four-month relationship when she finds Shawna murdered in the woman’s own living room. The shock of finding her body makes it essential that she find out who murdered her, especially when Avery finds out that her girlfriend seems to have died because of some illegal hacking she was doing on line. But what? To solve this question, Avery must become a hacker herself. Using Shawna’s notes—which she steals from the woman’s apartment—she begins the tedious task of finding out the truth about a woman she thought she knew well.
Does it sound okay so far? I hope so, because it gets better when Avery’s personal life gets taken over by a very butch lesbian UPS driver named Hatch. Hatch not only has exquisite taste in interior decorating and professional-level talent in playing Spanish music on her guitar, but she wears a strap-on dildo under her clothes. At all times, even when she’s alone in her bathrobe in her own home. Hatch has very urgent and very powerful sexual needs, and she is able to satisfy them with any woman she wants. And she wants Avery.
Aver at times seems so fragile and introspective, almost inexperienced, that her determination to find Shawna’s killer comes as a pleasant surprise. Another surprise is her sexual appetite and appreciation for Hatch’s considerable skills in the sexual satisfaction department. That is, until Hatch forces her into sex. If this is a spoiler, tough. It is at this point that the book gets its gravitas. Hatch is described as man-like in almost every way possible and not only man-like, but like an abusive and controlling man; the kind of man described negatively in many lesbian mysteries. The type of man who can abuse his woman, then turn right around and come to her rescue when danger threatens. Will Avery go back to Hatch—even though she finds out that Hatch has raped at least one other woman before her? Well, the answer is probably yes—just like many woman take their abusive husbands back even though they have black yes and broken bones. This is a book that should actually be studied by women’s groups. And Hatch’s sexuality would make a good the subject for an essay. For me to delve any deeper into it here would smack of pornography.
As in other novels I have read recently, Oakgrove makes the mistake of weaving in and out of point of view, sometimes from one paragraph to the next. Unless you are kind of literary, you might not notice this sort of thing, but it is a lazy way to write and quite unartistic. I have found this in several lesbian mysteries lately (such as Last Rites by Tracey Richardson for instance. It starts the novel out with a handicap it doesn't need. And Oakgrove does it constantly—sometimes it is impossible to figure out whose mind the author is in.
All in all, though, this is a satisfying book—even more satisfying because it is a stand-alone; I would not want another book with Avery trying to figure out if she should ditch Hatch or invite her to move in. It is satisfying in another way, too. Avery Vincent reminds me very much of Jen Madden, the protagonist in Peta Fox’s surprisingly good mystery series. I would love to know if Madden has read Oakgrove—almost as much as I would enjoy knowing if Artemis Oakgrove is the author’s birth-certificate name.
Note: I read the first One Rogue Press printing of this novel.
Another Note: This review is included in my book The Art of the Lesbian Mystery Novel, along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.
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October 17, 2007Really not any good... at all... seriously!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews