Review: Dupe
Editorial Review - Kirkus ReviewsWinner of the 1980 John Creasey Award for Britain's best first mystery novel, this is indeed a talented debut--strong in every department except, alas, the most crucial one: the mystery. Cody's sleuth is bright, ironic Anna Lee, an ex-cop who's now a discriminated-against operative at slimy Martin Brierly's private-investigation firm. So Anna dives in energetically when, after months of boutique-shopliftings, she gets a real case: investigating the ""accidental"" car-crash death of young Deirdre Jackson, who ran away to London from her nouveau-riche parents. Anna's inquiries lead her into the seedy fringes of London's film world--a projectionists' service for home-party screenings (where the dead girl worked), a film-developing firm, a tacky film-appreciation society. Among Deirdre's mangy friends and lovers there's one surly fellow who kills himself immediately after being questioned by Anna. And the motives behind Deirdre's death become apparent all too soon, with no gratifying twists or particularly authoritative red herrings. Still, if the plotting peters out here, the characters and quiet comic charms do not: Anna herself is entirely, un-cutely endearing; her colleagues are a grandly mixed crew; her neighbors are adorable; and a wide range of villains and fools is expertly sketched in. Thoroughly pleasant, then, even without a worthy puzzle--and once Cody latches onto one, she's likely to move right to the top.
Review: Dupe (Anna Lee Mystery #1)
User Review - Nancy Oakes - GoodreadsDupe is the first book of a series featuring private investigator Anna Lee. Anna was a cop, then realized that she was going nowhere (this was in the 80s, mind you) with her career, and she got a job ... Read full review
Review: Dupe (Anna Lee Mystery #1)
User Review - Janice - GoodreadsFirst in a series featuring Anna Lee, set in London. Anna is a former police officer, not a private investigator. I have read one stand-alone book by this author years ago, and really enjoyed it (Rift), and will read more in this series. Read full review
Review: Dupe (Anna Lee Mystery #1)
User Review - GoodreadsGreat contemporary British mystery with a gutsy no-nonsense heroine who faces sexism and the good ole' boys mentality with intelligence and hard work.
