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Robin Miller Mystery #6
Old Black Magic
Excellent Book
- GenresCrime
288 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1997
1 person is currently reading
38 people want to read
About the author
Jaye Maiman
9 books11 followersJaye Maiman is the author of the Lambda Literary Award Winning mystery series featuring lesbian travel writer and romance novelist Robin Miller.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
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October 16, 2021The investigative plot is all right as usual.
Only, the relationship between Robin and KT turned to one of the worst I've read in this genre. We been knew that KT also needed therapy but never got it, but she's just the love interest so I thought it wouldn't have made a huge impact on Robin and her adventures. But boy was I wrong.
Book 4 revealed that KT wanted a baby, but Robin absolutely did not. Book 5 ends with KT basically saying "yes we can get back together but only if you accept my pregnancy." Now, at the end of Book 5 Robin is hospitalized with severe pneumonia and misses KT more than life itself, she's in the most vulnerable emotional state. Surely her therapist would have advised her on holding off the idea, so I entered Book 6 with the conviction that the romantic sub-plot was going to involve another one of Robin's ex-lovers.
But NOPE. Robin actually accepted! Where the f*ck is Robin's therapist when she needs it the most?? This is blatant emotional manipulation. Robin's already completely emotionally dependent on KT, she's Robin's be all, end all, and Robin's trapped in a parenting role she never wanted. I've seen the result on kids and it's f*cked up. Why the f*ck is this not properly addressed as emotional blackmail?
The detective plot also its moments of absurdity, like this one:
“Yeah, tell him what we have. But make sure you find out what he knows first. If he clams up, cut him off. Right now, I think there’s a part of Sweeney that’s more interested in one-upping me than in finding the killer.”
There's a serial rapist and killer targeting queer women and Robin's placing more importance on getting back at this petty man rather than on the investigation? Sometimes Robin is portrayed as the only clear-headed detective out there, yet something she pulls stuff like this. It's ridiculous.
Only, the relationship between Robin and KT turned to one of the worst I've read in this genre. We been knew that KT also needed therapy but never got it, but she's just the love interest so I thought it wouldn't have made a huge impact on Robin and her adventures. But boy was I wrong.
Book 4 revealed that KT wanted a baby, but Robin absolutely did not. Book 5 ends with KT basically saying "yes we can get back together but only if you accept my pregnancy." Now, at the end of Book 5 Robin is hospitalized with severe pneumonia and misses KT more than life itself, she's in the most vulnerable emotional state. Surely her therapist would have advised her on holding off the idea, so I entered Book 6 with the conviction that the romantic sub-plot was going to involve another one of Robin's ex-lovers.
But NOPE. Robin actually accepted! Where the f*ck is Robin's therapist when she needs it the most?? This is blatant emotional manipulation. Robin's already completely emotionally dependent on KT, she's Robin's be all, end all, and Robin's trapped in a parenting role she never wanted. I've seen the result on kids and it's f*cked up. Why the f*ck is this not properly addressed as emotional blackmail?
The detective plot also its moments of absurdity, like this one:
“Yeah, tell him what we have. But make sure you find out what he knows first. If he clams up, cut him off. Right now, I think there’s a part of Sweeney that’s more interested in one-upping me than in finding the killer.”
There's a serial rapist and killer targeting queer women and Robin's placing more importance on getting back at this petty man rather than on the investigation? Sometimes Robin is portrayed as the only clear-headed detective out there, yet something she pulls stuff like this. It's ridiculous.
July 15, 2013
Another favorite! A credible and intriguing, if grisly, mystery. Robin is one of my favorite characters in this genre, or sub-genre, actually, since I like to separate mysteries featuring PIs (Micky Knight, Sidney Sloane, etc.) and those whose main characters are cops (Delafield, Ashton, et al.) The writing of the first few pages didn't quite seem like the Jaye Maiman I remembered, but, pretty soon, everything clicked and we were off to the races. Old Black Magic is a serial murder mystery with a bit of a Haitian vodoun thrown in for good measure.
As always with Maiman, the writing is engaging, fast-paced, and mechanically accomplished. (This was a Lambda nominee, losing out to Randye Lordon's Father, Forgive Me, which is certainly nothing to be embarrassed about.) The mystery is logical and well-plotted. The romance, as we've come to expect with Robin and KT, has a few obstacles to overcome. Maiman says that readers requested she bring KT back. I definitely wasn't one of those, but, in this installment, I liked her much more than in the earlier books, and the ending definitely works, relationship-wise. The killer is truly evil, on a level easily matching Cornwell's Gault or Gerritsen's Hoyt. Grrr...The emotional content, which is what attracted me to lesbian fiction in the first place, is definitely "kicked up a notch.," and there's more than enough suspense to keep thriller fans on the edge of their seats.
The ending satisfies on all levels, as a mystery, a romance, and just a basically good reading experience. Very highly recommended. (Only one more book in the series left to read, now. Damn!)
As always with Maiman, the writing is engaging, fast-paced, and mechanically accomplished. (This was a Lambda nominee, losing out to Randye Lordon's Father, Forgive Me, which is certainly nothing to be embarrassed about.) The mystery is logical and well-plotted. The romance, as we've come to expect with Robin and KT, has a few obstacles to overcome. Maiman says that readers requested she bring KT back. I definitely wasn't one of those, but, in this installment, I liked her much more than in the earlier books, and the ending definitely works, relationship-wise. The killer is truly evil, on a level easily matching Cornwell's Gault or Gerritsen's Hoyt. Grrr...The emotional content, which is what attracted me to lesbian fiction in the first place, is definitely "kicked up a notch.," and there's more than enough suspense to keep thriller fans on the edge of their seats.
The ending satisfies on all levels, as a mystery, a romance, and just a basically good reading experience. Very highly recommended. (Only one more book in the series left to read, now. Damn!)
June 3, 2014
Read this straight after no. 5 'Baby it's Cold'. The main setting is New Orleans - very hot and steamy. Much like Robin's relationship with KT, who is now pregnant.
The only disappointment was finding out who the killer was. I won't put a spoiler in here, but I really hate it when that happens. But then, I guess, it would have been a different story.
Now pacing myself. One book left in the series. I will try to save it for a rainy day. (Luckily it rains a lot here!)
The only disappointment was finding out who the killer was. I won't put a spoiler in here, but I really hate it when that happens. But then, I guess, it would have been a different story.
Now pacing myself. One book left in the series. I will try to save it for a rainy day. (Luckily it rains a lot here!)
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews