Murder on a Hot Tin Roof

This is at heart a cozy mystery story, but with enough riffs on a tough guy tale--or in this case, tough gal tale--to give it a bit of added flavor. It is also a gimmick mystery. Here, the gimmick is the setting. The story takes place in Manhattan during the first week of July 1955. Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," directed by Elia Kazan and starring Barbara Bel Geddes, Ben Gazzara and Burl Ives, is packing audiences in on Broadway. Nearby, "Bus Stop" and "The Pajama Game" are doing well, too. Lee Strassburg is running the Actors Studio and James Dean is attending classes there. "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" and "The Lady and the Tramp" can be found on local movie screens. "Your Hit Parade" isn't offering much that's memorable and George Gobel is telling low-key jokes in the waning days of big-time, network radio. And the heroine of the book, the unfortunately named Paige Turner, is holding down a "man's job" on the editorial staff of a pulp, true-life mystery magazine--and being paid perhaps half as much as her male colleagues for the privilege, too. It is hardly a surprise that she also sorts the mail, makes and then delivers the office coffee. The basic plot of the book is serviceable but pretty much cut out by the familiar cozy mystery cookie-cutter. (1) The intrepid but relatively straitlaced heroine, accompanied by her (2) ditzy and sexually near-hyperactive friend, stumbles over a dead body. (3) She is warned off interfering with the ensuing murder case by the cop in charge. (4) She ignores the warning. (5) Her perpetually limping love affair limps on. (6) She lies to her lover about her investigation, because (7) she knows he would disapprove. [Any of you who feel moved to shout for the Spoiler Police to haul me off in chains at this point ... relax! There are no real spoilers here. I have just described the plot set-up for about 75% of all the cozy mysteries ever written in America.] There is also a somewhat non-standard sub-plot. Paige Turner is introduced to and interacts with the gay sub-culture, apparently for the very first time in her life. This aspect of the book has been criticized for bringing 21st Century attitudes to bear on mid-20th Century events and conditions. There is some truth in this. The book has also been criticized for perpetuating tired old stereotypes for gays and lesbians. There are stereotypes, yes, but I certainly knew people in the real world who very closely matched each of the gay characters in this book. My own criticism of this part of the book, for what it's worth, is that Paige, a white bread and mayonnaise character, takes her new gay acquaintances in her stride almost instantaneously. It so happens that about five years after the notional date of this book, I became involved in the musical theater world of San Francisco. That world was, to say the least, heavily populated by individuals of every conceivable sexual orientation and life style. And nobody

I have more than enjoyed the prior 3 in this series, but this one just didn't hook me like the others did. I don't know if I'm getting a little worn on the jargon from the 50's or if the story just wasn't as good as the others, but this wasn't my favorite. I'll still keep reading the series because I really love the characters in the stories and I'd certainly recommend it for others who enjoy a fairly quick cozy mystery.

I eagerly looked forward to the fourth installment of the outlandishly named Paige Turner series and was not disappointed. "Murder on a Hot Tin Roof" is a whirling roller coaster ride into the world of 1950s theater and pop culture, with a thoroughly engaging heroine and plenty of laughs. With this installment Amanda Matetsky has taken a new direction while keeping the enjoyable elements from the previous books. The addition of sexpot bestfriend Abby Moscowitz as Paige's helper allows for some drolly laughable moments. The last third of the book really takes off as both the mystery and Paige's personal life collide into each other like fast moving freight trains. Other authors have sassy/saucy lead characters but Amanda Matetsky's Paige Turner is in a class by herself.

The year is 1955. Twenty-nine-year-old Korean War widow, budding amateur sleuth, and nosy crime magazine reporter, Paige Turner, has had it with the unbearable heat wave that has left New York City plastered under a sheet of cold sweat. So when her goddess-like neighbor, and best friend, Abby, invites her to see the hottest ticket in town "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" - starring Abby's handsome pal, and occasional lover, Gray Gordon - Paige can't refuse. After all, what intelligent mystery novelist would turn down a night of free air conditioning. Gray wows the crowd, and leaves the audience - and the critics - in a murmur over the newfound talent, and the budding career this hot young star has ahead of him. But when Abby and Paige head to his humble abode the next morning to congratulate him on a job well done, they find Gray in a pool of blood, slashed to bits in an obvious crime of passion that would make anyone's blood run cold. Enlisting Abby as her sidekick, Paige decides to do something that her boyfriend, handsome Detective Dan Street would frown upon...take matters into her own hands, and find the killer before the homosexual hating Detective Sergeant Nick Flannagan pins the crime on Gray's flamboyant, yet obviously innocent, neighbor, Willard "Willy" Sinclair. Paige can't stand to see an innocent take the fall for a crime he didn't commit. So, with the help of Abby, she begins an investigation that will leave the NYPD in the dust, complete with a dangerous quest that will leave Paige fluttering around the city like a migrating butterfly. But when she learns that someone is watching her every move, she wonders if her last "Paige" has been turned, and whether or not she'll catch the killer...before he catches her. I admit it. Amanda Matetsky can do no wrong when it comes to the world of mystery writing. Her characters are strong, her dialogue and plot-work original, and her setting absolutely revolutionary. Paige Turner is the grown-up Nancy Drew. Her determination to prove herself in the land of mystery writing, and "Daring Detective" crime reporting are insatiable; while the way she handles herself around the dominant sex - males - is outstanding. While Paige's interactions with her male co-workers are brief in this particular installment, the introduction of Abby as an almost-leading character is enjoyable, and gives readers a more in-depth look into the gorgeous gal's world - from her love life, to her fashion sense, and even into her perk-providing career. Longtime Paige Turner readers will be pleased to see some new revelations in Paige's tumultuous relationship with Detective Dan Street, but may be disappointed in the fact that the Daring Detective himself only trots into the storyline a few times. But they are oh-so mouth watering that you'll be glad you tuned in. Paige Turner will charm your socks off! Erika Sorocco