Takes One to Know One: An Alison Kaine Mystery

I LOVED the first book in this series, but was a little disappointed with the second. This book returns to the high level of the first. The characters are very well written and the interplay is realistic. The only complaint I have is the use of Spanish at the beginning. One of the clues is in Spanish, but anyone who does not speak the language (like me) is going to miss it.

This third installment in Kate Allen's Allison Kaine mystery series continues to be my favorite. Allison, a Denver police officer and her best friend Michelle travel south to spend a peaceful, long, working retreat weekend on womyn's land near Santa Fe, New Mexico. The weekend takes several unexpected turns as Stacy, Allison's girlfriend and a professional dominatrix, shows up to make peace after a recent argument. Uninformed of the commune's strict rules, Stacy and her best friend, Liz set up "Fun Camp" outside the Land. Well provisioned with caffeine and alcohol, they become the local entertainment and outlet for the less pure retreat members. Predictably, arguments concerning feminism and the leather community flare up in the desert heat. Despite their differences, or perhaps because of them, Stacy and Allison still manage to find time for... Allison and company do a wonderful job of humanizing that feminist taboo- s/m. In depicting intelligent, caring women with ordinary jobs (except for Stacy . . .), bills, and pets, Allen creates cognitive dissidence for people who demonize the leather community. Allison and Stacy aren't the only ones indulging their... Away from the strain of domestic life with her girlfriend and their colicky baby, Michelle is expressing more than a professional interest in Persimmon, a fellow glass artist, and one of the commune sponsors. Soon, Sarah Embraces-All-Things, the commune spiritual leader, a bully, and possibly a fraud, is discovered dead in the sweat lodge. Allison, suffering from a recently diagnosed chronic illness, struggles to sort out her professional responsibility as a police officer and her role as a supportive lesbian. Several members of the retreat appear happy to call Sarah's death an accident. Are they protecting a murderer?Allen succeeds in poking fun at all the complexities and contradictions of the lesbian, gay, and feminist community without being malicious -- a great temptation, particularly over some of the issues. -- and conveys intelligent ambivalence over controversial issues. As the characters struggle with their interactions, political views, and the question of Sarah's death, Allen points out how very funny lesbians can be while she consistently displays compassion for the women that make up our community. All of Allen's novels are intelligent, humorous, and worth buying but this is still my favorite to date.

Another great dyke thriller from Kate Allen. The characters that she has created, Denver cop Allison, dominatrix girl-friend Stacey, best friend the ever-so PC Michelle, lawyer Liz and all the others are further developed in this great novel. This is coupled with a very exciting plot line which challenges many lesbian hang-ups, particulary those around trans-gendered people.The murder victim is so nasty that you can only cheer when she is killed and Allison's frustration at her attempts to assert patriarchal laws on wimmin's land are well described.Yet it is the small things that make me long for more Kate Allen novels. Allison dealing with her fears around disabilty and Michelle fighting for independence with a baby in her home are the kind of things that offer insights into the characters and make me want to know more.This is coupled with a great sense of humour - I have actually laughed out loud while reading Kate Allen. Stacey's and Liz's Fun-camp, Michelle as City Pony, Allison wanting to talk about her cat in Spanish (I've been there!)all make these the funniest series of dyke detective novels I have ever read.Kate Allen, please, please (I'd bark like a dog!) write more about this fantastic bunch of dykes and their friends.