Thanks to Carl Brookins for sharing another review.
Sticks & Stones
By K.J. Larson
ISBN: 978-1-59058-921-2
2012 Poisoned Pen HC
229 pages
This is one triple threat novel. It is fast. It is raunchy. It is punchy. Bonus is it’s written by three sisters. Yes, the title refers to that old nursery rhyme. Second in the Cat De Luca series, the novel continues the adventures of a smart, sassy, saucy, Chicago P.I. Her agency is called “Pants on Fire.” She’s a member of a large and useful if somewhat un-functional family of Italian Chicago cops. Their attitudes and sometimes mis-guided attempts to aid or thwart De Luca’s usually spur-of-the-moment actions in pursuit of her current cheating husband-target add a good deal to the general hilarity.
The novel surges back and forth and up and down, in and out of second story windows and costumes. It never loses sight of the main goal and for the most part, is well-written with excellent pace. Disregard a few sags in the middle in which peripheral characters heat up the pages with drink and dalliance.
With tongue firmly planted, Cat De Luca, in the capable hands of her grinning authors, sashays through the urban landscape to an inescapable conclusion. A fine American cozy novel and I look forward to a long run with leggy De Luca.