The city doesn't exactly welcome her with open arms. She gets a bit part as a chorus girl in a Broadway show, but she knows that's not going to last very long. She needs help--and then it comes, from an unexpected source.
Nate Benedict is Billy's father. He's also a lawyer involved in the mob. He makes Kit a deal--he'll give her an apartment and introduce her to a new crowd. All she has to do is keep him informed about Billy . . . and maybe do him a favor every now and then.
Just like in Blundell’s What I Saw and How I Lied, this story has a cast of vivid and realistic characters. Each has his own quirks, biases, and neuroses. I fully believed in them as people. The circumstances surrounding each character made perfect sense in the beginning, but as the story progressed it felt like it wasn’t as clear.
The details surrounding the time frame were amazing, right down to the cold cream she uses to take off her makeup. I felt like I was in 1950. It was the best part of the whole story.
The storyline itself wasn’t as compelling as I was hoping. Perhaps that’s because I’m not a 50’s buff, or perhaps it’s because it’s much quieter than most other stories. But some of the directions the story took either didn’t go far enough or didn’t quite feel justified. I don’t know. There’s just something about this story that’s lacking oompf.
I’ll still read more of Blundell’s works, but this one wasn’t a favorite.
5 comments:
I hadn't heard of this one before. Thanks for sharing.
I heard Judy read at a book event, and was impressed. I will have to check this out when I hit a bookstore. Thanks for the alert!
Interesting. Always wonder how stories go "quiet." Thanks for the review.
The cover almost looked like it could be a sequel to What I Saw and How I Lied. I haven't read anything by her yet, but I've heard she's a great writer. It sounds like there's still a lot going for this one, even though it wasn't as good as the other.
Kelly - I hadn't either! I didn't hear about this book until after it was already released, and there was no buzz around it. Really a shame since she's a NBA winner...
Catherine - she's a very talented writer. I'd love to hear her speak sometime. :)
Lee - I wonder that, too. I mean, this book just sort of snuck up on me. I wish I'd have known about it well before its release date.
Sherrie - I thought the same thing when I saw the cover. :) But they're two completely different stories. The only common element is the time period. You should try one of her books, because she's definitely a great writer!
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