Louisiana Bigshot: A Talba Wallis Novel

Young women starting out as PIs start cheap and often finish early in the mystery fiction business -- but hope that Baroness de Pontalba, a/k/a Talba Wallis will be around for many more pleasurable reads. She has more prickles than a porcupine and apparently less fear than Zeus in solving mean, bitter problems. Her personality glints like silver as she dances between personal and business tragedy; underestimate her, and you're the one playing the fool's gold.This is a forceful, beautifully written story that, in all likelihood, will cast you as a stranger in a strange land. But you will probably not be able to put down the book and chances are you will also be unable to untangle the strands of mystery much before the final acts play out. It's probably too complex, or they would ruin the delicious ruminations of the Baroness on the other characters, but there ought to be a movie here. Just read the book. It's hard to imagine a movie subtle and strong enough to capture both dynamic action and the tension between emotion and thought.

When New Orleans PI Talba Wallis does a pre-marital background check on her friend Babalu Maya's fiance, things quickly go from bad to worse. The fiance is a cad, but Babalu seems to have other, darker problems on her mind. Yet, when Babalu turns up dead, it is none other than the fiance who believes she was murdered and hires Talba to look into it.Talba immediately runs into a roadblock when she finds that Babalu Maya doesn't seem to exist. Following a trail which eventually leads to Clayton, Louisiana, Talba keeps digging. People in Clayton aren't talking, however. Refusing to give up, Talba and her boss, Eddie Valentino, both put their lives on the line to learn the murky secrets the town is hiding.Talba Wallis's new adventures far surpass her last one. I hope Julie Smith hasn't killed off her Skip Langdon series but, if such is the case, Talba is a more than worthy successor. The atmosphere in this fast-paced tale is earthy and real. The dialogue is crisp, the writing is superior, and the plot is strong. If you haven't yet discovered the world of Talba Wallis, a/k/a the Baroness Pontalba, treat yourself to this book. It's definitely a winner.

I loved this second fast-paced tale of the irrepressible, sassy, intelligent poetess-turned-detective, Baroness Pontalba. The plot had more surprising twists and turns than a Louisiana bayou country road...and keeps you guessing until the very end. It always cracks me up when Ms. Smith brings Detective extraordinairre, Skip Langdon into the story....she's the main character in her excellent Skip Langdon series. If you're just discovering Ms. Smith's writing, you're in for a delectable treat and a fabulous story. She's the best!

Even the simplest of tasks seem to land Private Eye/Poet, Talba Wallis, in big trouble in Julie Smith's, LOUISIANA BIGSHOT. ... Julie Smith successfully blends mystery and social commentary as Talba faces big hurdles, due to the color of her skin, in her investigation of Babalu's death. Smith has created a complex character who uses wit, and sheer nerve, and not always successfully, to navigate herself through some tough situations. You can't help but root for Talba Wallis.

Talba Wallis now has her private detective's license and works for E.V. Anthony Investigations. When her day job is finished she writes poetry and reads it in her persona as the Baroness de Pontalba. One day when she is tailing a cheating husband she gets into a car injury and feels pretty banged up. She pays a visit to healer Babalu Moya who make Talba feel as good as new.The next time she hears about Babalu is when her boyfriend invites Talba to investigate his fiancé's supposed suicide. Since Talba doesn't think her friend was suicidal, she agrees to take the case. The answers she needs are in Babalu's hometown of Clayton and the residents there are engaged in a conspiracy of silence. The deeper Talba digs, the more feathers she ruffles until it reaches the point that she either quickly finds out who killed her friend or expect a life expectancy no longer than a week.Julie Smith has written another exciting private detective thriller starring a colorful and clever protagonist who thinks she has all the answers or knows where to find them. The author is a master at characterizations, so much so that the audience will pity some of the minor characters for their weaknesses. The story line is fast paced and intricately plotted, a roller coaster rider of thrills and chills.Harriet Klausner