Sticky Fingers by Morgan Hunt

Sticky Fingers by Morgan Hunt

Alyson Books, 2007

Overview: When Tess Camillo finds a rattlesnake in her bedroom, she knows it isn't there by accident, especially after another San Diego-area lesbian dies mysteriously of snake bites only a few days later. Convinced that others may be in danger, Tess begins to investigate the case, despite her own better judgment and that of those around her.

My Reaction: Sticky Fingers is one of those books that is just okay - not engrossing, not off-putting, not the inspiration for any particular emotional response. It has good qualities, including a discussion of breast cancer (the author is a survivor), a fast-paced mystery and a mostly likable lead sleuth. The writing is okay, and got better as the book progressed. If the whole thing contained REALLY BAD similes such as "the snake's tail vibrated like a cicada with Parkinson's" (2), I probably would have put it down. If you want a quick read requiring little investment of emotion or time (it took me less that four hours), you could do a lot worse. I will likely read the other two in the series, since they are also short, to see if they get any better (the third book won a 2009 Indie Excellence Award, for what it's worth).

Tess Camillo Mysteries

Sticky Fingers, 2007

Fool on the Hill, 2008

Blinded by the Light, 2009