Damn Straight

Lillian Byrd Crime Story #2

by Elizabeth Sims

After her narrow brush with death in Holy Hell, you would think Lillian Byrd would have learned to keep her head down, but when a friend in crisis calls from Palm Springs, Lillian jumps on a plane and wings her way from Detroit to California and danger. It’s the weekend of the Dinah Shore golf tournament, the wildest women’s sporting event in the world, when thousands of lesbians from around the country descend on the small desert town of Rancho Mirage and take over. At a pre-championship party, a capsized tray of champagne serves to introduce Lillian to a top LPGA star, and Lillian leaps into a sizzling romance without a second thought. But her superstar athlete has a secret: Someone is quietly terrorizing her. Lillian, eager to help, goes undercover as a high-profile reporter, an unhinged nun and a professional caddie while uncov-ering disturbing layer after layer of her lover’s past. Who is the stalker? The lickspittle agent? The fierce rival? The alcoholic mother? Finally, with violence erupting at every turn, Lillian uncovers her lover’s final horrifying secret. And it is not at all what she thought. Once again, Elizabeth Sims has crafted a nail-biting thriller, featuring her oh-so-human amateur detective, that sizzles and zings and has readers laughing through their shivers.

Elizabeth Sims is also the author of Holy Hell. A book person through and through, she is a 10-year veteran of bookselling and has written book reviews for the Detroit Free Press. Her short fiction and poetry have appeared in Moving Out and The Smudge. A longtime resident of the Detroit area, where Lillian Byrd lives, Sims now lives in Northern California.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, LGBT, Lesbian, Queer, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller

280 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2003

About the author

Elizabeth Sims is an American author and writing authority. Her novels include the Lambda Award-winning Lillian Byrd crime series and the Rita Farmer mystery series, and she writes frequently for Writer's Digest magazine, where she is a Contributing Editor.

Booklist calls her work "crime fiction as smart as it is compelling," and Crimespree magazine praises her "strong voice and wonderful characters."
Are you a writer too—or would you like to be one? If so, you might find inspiration in Elizabeth's book You've Got a Book in You: A Stress-Free Guide to Writing the Book of Your Dreams, published by Writer's Digest Books.

Elizabeth earned degrees in English from Michigan State University and Wayne State University, where she won the Tompkins Award for graduate fiction. She has worked as a reporter, editor, photographer, technical writer, bookseller, street busker, ranch hand, corporate executive, and symphonic percussionist. Elizabeth belongs to several literary societies as well as American Mensa.

To learn more about her and to view a full list of her available works, including free excerpts and book discussion guides, visit www.elizabethsims.com
There you can get in touch and / or join her newsgroup.

Reviews

[Corrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn Straight (Lillian Byrd Crime Story #2) was a absolute pleasure to read. Oh, don’t get me wrong, some really gruesome things happen because Lillian Byrd is a genuine trouble magnet (it seems she is not faring better since book one). No, it’s the dialogue that makes these crime novels so fantastic (read my highlights and you will agree). That, and the marvelous Lillian Byrd herself of course. Elizabeth Sims has created such a wonderful character here.

Winter in Detroit is a bitch and so Lillian is very keen to get her butt to sunny Palm Springs when her old friend Truby implores her to come and stay. She needs Lillian to mentor her through a life crisis (better you find out what this is by yourself, but it’s very funny). Lillian and her steadfast companion, rabbit Todd, jump on the first plane to meet Truby. They will attend the Dinah Shore LPGA tournament so as you can guess (if the cover didn’t give it away) this book is heavy on the golf. Now I don’t have much love for nor knowledge of the sport but that didn’t matter to me because the rest of the story is so bloody good! Really, don’t let the golf part discourage you. And if you are a golf fanatic, this is your jam!

It is nail biting, it is hilarious, it is shocking and it does not surprise me one bit this author won a Lammy with this series. I highly recommend!

f/f

Themes: golf, sins of the past come back to haunt you, obsession, deranged stalker, yes Truby… lesbianing is hard.

5 stars

[Kara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book of a five part series, and “Damn Straight” picks up a few years after book one (“Holy Hell”). Our erstwhile heroine’s fame has faded after her crime-solving/committing adventures from book one, and with plenty of time on her hands, Lillian readily accepts her friend’s request to fly immediately to Los Angeles to help with a crisis.

Surprised by the nature of the crisis, she agrees to help, and Lillian and her friend Truby head off to a swanky party in Bel Air to meet women. Over the next 48 hours Lillian finds mutual instalove with Genie, and everyone (including Lillian’s rabbit Todd) heads to Palm Springs for the Dinah Shore LPGA tournament. This sums up the first 33% of the book. It’s cute, not WOW cute, but cute, and Lillian and Genie do experience some great sex. Well, we’re sort of led to believe they have great sex, the audience is not really allowed in the room, and we certainly don’t see or hear anything. It’s sort of like your parents having sex (without the icky factor)….you know they “did it” because you exist, but that’s about all the proof you’re ever going to have. In the case of your parents, that’s really all the proof you ever will want, but even though you’d like some evidence to back up Lillian and Genie’s claims, it just isn’t going to happen in the first third of this book.

The next third of the book happens. Yeah, that’s really about as interesting as it gets despite some promising writing.

The final third of the book is quite good, and ultimately saves the story. Perhaps the author was writing really quickly, beginning early in the morning, and her caffeine boost didn’t kick in until she was 2/3 done with the book. Well, it does come together at last, resparking the fun of the first book in this series. The sex, alas, remains less interesting for the reader/listener than it does to the MCs. Here, for example, is one of the hotter scenes: “She allowed me to reciprocate, then she took me there again, then we slept like logs”.

So once again, we really have more of a mystery than a real romance. There’s a bit more romance than in the first book, and the mystery takes a long time to really become interesting, but it’s fun to spend more time with Lillian. The side characters aren’t quite as strong as in book one, and the writing seems less wacky, but perhaps that’s because there are more unlikable characters overall and the ending is rather somber. Again, more mystery than romance.

I liked book one very much and rushed into this book right away. I don’t rate this one as highly, at 3.5* but I still like the narrator and will round up to 4* which ties it with book one, but book one was a strong 4* without rounding up. I suggest taking a break between books though….perhaps I would have liked this more if I hadn’t jumped right into it on the strength of book one.

[Jude Silberfeld-Grimaud · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another win! I need to get the next book in the series...

[Della B · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Expertly written; very fun to read.” to quote the author. And she is correct.

[Carol Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elizabeth Sims writes refreshingly well. Her detective, Lillian Byrd, is a good first person narrator, slightly tough on the outside but very soft on the inside. Her pet is a rabbit.

Lillian very lesbian. She goes to Los Angeles to help her best friend, who's in a crisis about her sexuality.

Lillian winds up involved with pro golf and a glamorous golfer. There's love and danger.

The book is good enough to make me want to read some others in the series.

[AnnMaree Of Oz]

DNF @ 34 %

Kindle Unlimited series, Book 2. It's supposedly set a few years after the events in book 1, but it annoys me that we don't get much of a reflection on those very serious events - especially considering Lilians love interest was badly assaulted, and isn't mentioned at all. (I understand she appears in book 3, so I have my fingers crossed but my hopes aren't high, after this installment and the way certain things were handled here.)

I guess I prefer for a linked series to have that y'know, LINK to them. A connection to what has happened in the past. She does casually mention her apartment being a crime scene, but never any real emotion about the case or what happened to Minerva, which was off-putting for me. It made the character of Lilian seem callous. As did a lot of her attitude in this installment which I found to be really off-putting.

Lil gets an emergency phone call from her longtime bestie in LA who is incredibly upset - she hops right on a plane to see her, naturally - only to find the friend - Truby - is questioning her sexuality and wants tips on wooing ladies and lady loving. From the outset it kind of made me feel a bit pissed off with the character. The idea of a friend making you think a major emergency is happening and for that to be the punchline, didn't sit well with me.

I also didn't appreciate the way either of them came across in treating sexuality and attitudes toward dating women. Maybe I'm in a mood? But it just didn't seem to think any of it was really flattering to either parties. Lilian quickly meets up with some pro golfer lady, who immediately brings her back to her place for a weekend and for some reason 'I love you's' are shared entirely too quickly, even though Lilian admits she doesn't feel it, although is intrigued.

It was all very bizarre. Maybe because I'm not a golfer and find it heinously pretentious and boring, I found myself glazing over with much of the talk there, and skimming pages of content that added absolutely zero to the plot.

By the time I got to 34% I just couldn't force myself to continue as it was going nowhere fast, and again I just kinda loathed Lilian and her friend Truby's attitudes and was seriously rolling my eyes and kinda loathing them both and had no interest to read on.

Honestly not sure if I will bother with book 3.

[Steph_00 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started off very promising but ended with a thud. For me, when the author chose to make the storyline all about Lillian investigating the depressed, hard-to-believe, and sordid background of her new girlfriend - who just happens to be the no. 1 lady golfer in the world- the book loses its early charm. By the end of the story, I hated her gf; lost my initial attraction to Lillian; and didn’t like the contrived side-story of Lillian’s straight best friend’s attempt ‘to go gay’ (also ending in a humorless thud). I finished this book wondering what might have been...

[Jenny Yates · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a lesbian mystery set at the Dinah Shore Gold Tournament, so it does help if you’re interested in golf. The writing is straightforward and casual. The protagonist is charming, especially in dialogue, and the sex scenes are abundant and fun. The mystery itself is a little thin, so don’t read it as a puzzler, but as a chance to hang out with a cute, simpatico, somewhat irresistible dyke.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having thoroughly enjoyed, Elizabeth Sim's first Lillian Bryd crime story, I bought the next three in the series. I wasn't disappointed. I read this one on a chilly raining day as I lay on the couch with a bad cold. Hot tea and a day with Lillian Byrd, fixed me right up. Sims knows how to maintain suspense and twist expectations and I just adore Byrd.

[Yahli Rot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book
The story and characters are very interesting. The end was unexpected but I liked it. most of the action is in the last few chapters, the plot developed slow and it made following the storyline easier, not too many things happening at once. A nice, cozy mystery with great characters and a lot of golf.

[Emmalynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This book takes place a few years after book 1. While overall it was okay, it was not as good as book 1. Lillian lost her spark somewhere along the way. She didn’t have that snark, humor, self deprecating style that drew you in from book 1. Additionally, Book 1 saw Lillian as a strong person even in the toughest of situations, here, she was being emotionally blackmailed/bullied by her new lover, something she even admits to the point of doing something that could be harmful to her precious rabbit Todd.

The book does pick up in the last 3rd and gets better, learning the secret, confronting Genie about it, was all fine. Overall, this was definitely the sophomore slump but still not a bad read.

[Balthazaar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is just delightful. Well, in fairness, the mystery arc can be grim in places (well, murder and/or blackmail and/or crime often is) but the cast of characters, the whip smart dialogue (the golf bore ‘that holds you at vocal gunpoint ...’), the originality of the story and the detail, the detail, makes this a great listen. Lillian continues to be smart and charming and a lovable underdog. And of course there’s Lilian’s sidekick, Todd, hero-rabbit.

I don’t mind golf but I also don’t have much interest in golf, but this could have changed my mind.

Rooting for Lillian. Loving this series.

[Shelley Pearson · Rating 2 out of 5]

After I finished the first book in this series, I jumped right into the second. This one was definitely more romance than the first, and the romance was an insta-love. The book also had a lot about golf, which I’m not particularly interested in. So, it was a little rougher for me than the first book. I still like a lesbian amateur sleuth, but I decided to give the series a break after this one.

Two other things that I thought were weird:

•This book took place so long after the first book! I’m used to mystery series where the main character solves a few mysteries within a year, but I think this book picked up a few years after the first one. I didn’t understand why, or what Lillian had been doing during that time.


•I felt like Lillian lost a lot of her personality from the first book. She just immediately became Genie’s assistant and supporter. Then at the end, after Lillian found out Genie’s secret, they just kind of separated. The resolution of their relationship didn’t feel satisfying to me.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy mysteries that introduce me to different cultures in place, in time or, in this case, in sports. U.S. Women's Golf, to be specific. The classic noir structure, complete with femme fatale, is tilted a bit sideways as, instead of the hard-boiled private dick, the hero is a Chuck Taylor-wearing chick from Detroit with a pet rabbit named Todd. Lots of fun!

[Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this author!

[Ken Finlay · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Damn Straight” took me almost a week to read - never a good sign.
At first I put it down to the golf setting but, later, decided that the problem is the pacing – it's a leisurely stroll a lot of the time.
The central 'mystery' is so flimsy that it hardly counts.
After the very enjoyable “Holy Hell” it is a disappointment.
Lillian Byrd attends the Dinah Shore Californian golf tournament with her friend, Truby, who is considering converting to lesbianism.
Lillian falls for a top golf pro, Genie Maychild, and becomes her lover, P.I. and caddy.
Genie is being stalked and it seems to be escalating. However, she is reluctant to do anything about it - Lillian gets to the bottom of it in short order.
On the plus side, Todd (the rabbit) plays a bigger role this time out.
3 Stars.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this second book in the series just blew me away! This is so much more than a mystery, it brought all of my emotions and then some to the surface. I really adore Lillian and I felt as though I was right there beside her while she was trying to be there for her friend and while she was going through her own doubts and troubling circumstances. This story will definitely stay with me for a long time.

[L E · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this book for everything it was not. I somewhat enjoyed learning/hearing about golf ... not my thing but found it interesting if nothing else. Loved the main characters, life explorations and not having to apologize for following their hearts and realizing exactly what was best for them in the long run. I loved the way the book ended for I feel this is more realistic to life and that was the best part of this book for me.

[La · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm on a bit of a queer crime streak, and this novel fit right in. Quite a quick and fun read with just enough depth to make me feel like I read something a bit more important. Takes place at the Dinah Shore golf tournament, where Lillian Byrd (and her bunny) investigate strange happenings and Lillian enjoys the company of a top golfer. Fun!

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

About This Book...

I got this book as a freebie from Amazon, but that is not why I liked it so much. I liked it because it's well-written, and it held my interest. In fact, I liked this book SO much, that I just bought the next one. That should tell you pretty much all that you need to know. ENJOY!

[Corinne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I have no interest in golf or lesbianism, I found the story (mostly) entertaining and the character development done well. It's true that there are lots of unpleasant characters, a ridiculous trip to Illinois, and worst of all, an unbelievable romance that started too quickly and ended the same.

[Brandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Following Lilian Byrd

This was so so good. I wasn't sure what to expect from this new-to-me author but wooow... I did not expect what I received. I'm going to go back and read the first book and then follow Lilian Byrd for a while.

[Jan Crossen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another interesting and intriguing story from Elizabeth Sims. I read this in the KU three pack and am so glad I did! I'm off to read Lucky Stiff now, book three in the Lillian Byrd series. Sure wish I could read those Calico Jones books too!

[Anna]

I don’t care what happens to these people :-/

[Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice!

I have no interest in golf, and not that much anymore in lesbian fiction, but I really enjoyed this book.

[Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling characters and a good mystery linked to a bit of a romance.

[Carolyn Virginia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A romp through the 'Dinah Shore' golf tournament with Lillian Byrd.  Not particularly well-written or clever but definitely enjoyable!

[Nicole Geub · Rating 5 out of 5]

A whole murder mystery set around the Dinah shore weekend in Palm Springs. Loved it!

[Megan (ReadingRover) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Ada · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never read mysteries because I scare easy, but this was just good fun. Plus I like that Lillian Byrd wears black high top converse like I do