Reviews

Dead White Female by Lauren Henderson

nocto's review

I was worried about being disappointed by this book since I was going back to the beginning of a series that I'd already read the latest entries in it. From the way that Sam looks back in the later books to things that happened in this one I did know a bit more than I was supposed to do about the goings on but for the most part it worked out ok. Henderson foreshadows what is going to happen in this book on the first page and so the book wasn't spoilt by any means. If anything I think it was probably nice to read this book with a nice glow of nostalgia about it.

On the whole I was very pleased with the book, it didn't have any rickety first novel creaks about it and stands up well to the standard in the later books. It looks like Henderson knew what she was up to from the off.

I'm definitely looking forward to reading Too Many Blondes now and then my series will be complete and I'll have to wait for more books. Hopefully the reissue of these first books in the series is a promotion to garner interest in the series before a new release. That's what I'm choosing to believe anyway!

(Oh and what was the cover artist on? there's a woman in a convertible on the cover and Sam has a Ford Escort van which is about as far from a convertible as you can get!)

verityw's review

4.0

Finally I get around to reading the first of the Sam Jones books* and find out what exactly it was that happened to her.

This is twisty and a bit alternative - like the other Sam Jones mysteries and feels like it has a different world view to most of the other "similar" crime novels you'll pick up. It is from the 90s - and it feels a bit retro in places - but that's actually not a bad thing.

I have more of these to read!

*Fahrenheit rereleased some of the later ones in the series first

cmbohn's review

1.0

Not sure why this has such great reviews. I didn't find the story that interesting or the MC likable enough to finish.

andreeawrites's review

5.0

I can't tell you how impressed I am for the Sam Jones series. I started reading thinking that it's just another chick lit, but these stories were filled with mystery and a little crime solving which thrilled me. Sam Jones is awesome! She's fierce, full of confidence, sexy and smart!

writerlibrarian's review

4.0

I didn't figure out the culprit here. The resolution of the mystery was a surprise, in a good way. Sam Jones is a strong, funny, clever, brash and modern unwilling sleuth. At the centre of the story is the depth of our own deception, our ability to kinda lie to ourselves. Sam's quest to figure out the truth about her mentor's death brings her to the edge. A really good mix of hip atmosphere (artsy scene in London in the mid 1990's), a solid mystery plot and a kick butts, take no prisoner heroine. a very solid 3 1/2 stars.