Reading Journal Entry: This Dame For Hire, by Sandra Scoppettone

Sandra Scoppettone has a blog which I've read regularly. She's got a long list of published works but I'd never heard of her before I started poking around in the literary blog world. But I sure liked the look of her book cover on This Dame For Hire so I put it on reserve at the library. I have just started doing this and I hesitate every time, because what if I hate it? It's much easier to post scathing reviews of books when you don't read their blogs.

Not a problem this time. I am, quite frankly, enchanted. Faye Quick is a detective doing her boss's job during World War II because all the good men are overseas fighting the war. Not just any gal, either - a New Yorker. Scoppettone gets the lingo down pat. The atmosphere is pitch-perfect without being overbearing. Faye Quick reminds me of no-one less than Miss Imbrie, the cynical female journalist from The Philadelphia Story.



I am considering buying this for my mom for her birthday. Can't wait for the next one.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bethie,

Did Sandra Scopettone also write a mystery (the title of which I cannot remember), set in NYC in the 80s-90s about a lesbian detective (who lives with her partner)? It might have been a series, and definetely felt like it wanted to be.

I only ask because I'm fairly sure of the last name, which, of course, reminded me of "scopare." And if you don't remember what that means in Italian, shame on you

Sandra Scoppettone said...

Yes, I did write that and it was a series. There are five books.