The Sex Club

Author LJ Sellers knows how to write a compelling, page-turning, heart-stopping, blood pumping thriller of a story. She has created a vivid and multi-layered cast of believable characters. From promiscuous church-going pubescent teenagers to a lonely and wanting love in her life main heroine that works as a dedicated nurse in a Planned Parenthood clinic, to a religious psychopath with a God-complex blowing up buildings and doing everything she can to exact God's punishment on sinners, the characters jump right out of the pages and take up residence in your head. LJ has a no frills, concise style of writing with a voice that does not get in the way of the story. Her prose shows the controlled and classic restraint of a veteran writer. The story she writes is so strong and intriguing she has no need of all the bells and whistles of frilly fiction that we so often see in novels, the countless adjectives, adverbs, exclamation points, etc. She just delivers the story, and hits you right over the head with it. She can take a bite out of your heart and stab you in your ear with a few simple words. I highly recommend The Sex Club. Plan on putting everything aside for a day, because you won't be able to put it down once you get drawn into it, and that happens very quickly. I look forward to reading more from Sellers.

Sellers hooked me on page one and kept me on the line throughout. I sat far too long at a time, but was compelled to finish this one in record time. I highly recommend it. Not only is it loaded with suspense, it's also politically-charged.

THE SEX CLUB is a great read--well above average. The cover of the book is so provocative that the novel completely bypassed my To Be Read pile and I'm glad it did. The author maintains tension so well I stayed up four hours past my bedtime to finish the book. A pipe bomb explodes in a birth control clinic. A fundamentalist Christian group is presumed responsible. The clinic nurse is worried about the sexual behaviour of a group of kids in their early teens, one of whom has died needlessly. Religion, sex and politics--all present. THE SEX CLUB is published by Spellbinder Press who "offer mystery and suspense fiction that digs deep into provocative issues that other publishers fear." Since it's a vanity press, I feel compelled to point out that THE SEX CLUB is thoroughly professional: well written, well plotted, and well edited. The story switches point of view among several characters, predominately the clinic nurse and the detective assigned to the case. The way in which these main characters are revealed is superb: little vital bits of data dropped like bread crumbs, irrelevant castoffs from the main story, until, lo and behold, we find ourselves immersed in the middle of a pudding--rich in motive and angst--yet completely bound by the complexities inherent in those bread crumbs. The main characters are likeable and we root for them, though their trail is not easy. They don't have a clear path to the truth or resolution. In addition to their personal troubles, events are complicated by other people's political agendas. None of this feels forced; the plot is smoothly intricate. Things happen and tension steadily mounts. The excitement is balanced but increasingly intense. A well crafted story with an unexpected ending. Extremely fulfilling. Theresa de Valence, Mystery Fiction Reviewer

I would normally not have picked up The Sex Club off the shelf, as I'm not much of a mystery fan. However, the masterful and expressive cover caught my eye. Surprise - L.J. Sellers held my interest from first to last, and I hated to see the story end. This is a police procedural, following the steps of the detective as he solves the crimes. The police aspects are well-researed, and the reader rides along with the detective eyes open and cheering. The characters are well drawn, complete with human foibles, and very sympathetic. Thankfully, the author did not stoop to giving the detective more than his share of faults. The tender romance is treated softly, a natural outcome of proximity, but does not overwhelm the crime story. And the crimes! Realistic for today, sadly. As it is set in Eugene, OR, home of my alma mater, that added personal interest, but the setting could Smalltown, anywhere. Living as I do now in a hotbed of Christian conservatism, the issues she brings up of religious fanatacism were very to the point. I am looking forward to the next Detective Wade Jackson novel.

Just as she did with "Beyond Conception," LJ Sellers expertly weaves together criminal intrigue, murder mystery, and human drama with biting social and political commentary. "The Sex Club" has got it all and you won't be able to put it down until the very last page. The only thing wrong with this novel is that it isn't longer!