Justice Served, Shadowland, and Sierra City
See also pages 15 and 17 for more of Kathi's reviews.
  Justice
Served by Radclyffe ISBN: 1933110155 Bold Strokes Books Paperback/ $15.95, 320 pages Genre: Fiction/ Lesbian Intrigue/Romance Review by Kathi Isserman Once again Radclyffe delivers a crisply written, fast-paced story with Justice Served. This book serves up twists and turns and keeps us guessing until the final explosive ending. Justice Served, the fourth in the Justice series, begins where Justice in the Shadows ends. Police officer, Dell Mitchell is recovering from her stab wounds that she received trying to take down an internet porn ring. Detective Rebecca Frye’s team is a little closer to finding who is at the bottom of her partner’s and another officer’s assassination, but at every turn, the suspect seems to be one step ahead. Cyber sleuth JT Sloan discovers that there is a leak in the department, but as the team pursues that suspect, he is killed. Organized crime is somehow involved. The Port Authority turns up some clues, and the sex clubs are definitely mixed up in the crimes. Frye’s team has all these pieces that they must tie together, and as they hurry to solve the crimes that are piling up, more people are getting killed. In Justice Served, Radclyffe is a master at weaving several complicated plots together, keeping her readers in suspense though not confusing them with extraneous details. And she does not forget the romantic subplot either. The romance flows naturally with the storyline as Radclyffe explores all of the characters’ love lives. Even the gruff Watts, Frye’s partner, develops a love interest. Radclyffe’s characters come alive. They are passionate about their careers and their lovers. They are honorable too. Throughout the plot, members of the police task force struggle with ethical issues, but there is no preaching on these pages. Her characters also originate from all walks of life and through them, we learn about different lifestyle choices whether it be a transvestite or prostitute. Sandy and Michael have a very real and sensitive conversation on why Sandy became a prostitute and through that conversation, Michael understands Sandy better and reserves no judgment. These are characters we want to get to know. We want them in our lives, and we want them as our friends. While all of the books in the Justice series are page turners, what gives Justice Served potency is that you can read it without reading the others. Radclyffe gives us the character histories and story backgrounds as she moves the plot along. This naturally flows with the current story. We do not get bogged down with a story we may have already read. She refreshes our memories. Radclyffe claims that this is the last book in the series, but the ending leaves this reader wanting more of Rebecca Frye’s team. Even Frye says, “That’s what police work is all about. The story never really ends.” |
 Shadowland
by Radclyffe ISBN: 1933110112 Bold Strokes Books Paperback/ $14.95, 250 pages Genre: Lesbian Romance/Erotica Review by Kathi Isserman Readers will be pleasantly surprised by this unusual love story by Radclyffe. With Shadowland she uses dominance and submission, the appeal of it as well as the abuse of it, to tell an erotic romance- one that is exceptional, powerful, and hopeful. Kyle Kirk is restless and bored with her life so one night while driving her motorcycle, she decides to visit the bar “Leathers”. While she had read about the world of s/m she had never experienced it first hand. There she meets the mysterious Dane. After a night together of passion and pleasure, Kyle is intrigued. She wants more, but Dane is only interested in one night stands with no emotional attachments. So as Kyle delves deeper into the world of dominance and submission, unsure as to where this might take her, she learns about a kind of power she never knew existed. Radclyffe uses power, pain, and passion magnificently in Shadowland. She illustrates to the reader through “scenes” how the exchange of power with trust can empower us and therefore give us pleasure, and how the anticipation of “pain”, however we as individuals define that, can be erotic. Shadowland also reveals the dark side of power where domination without consent and physical pain used as punishment can work to destroy us. Shadowland, through strong character development, throws away our preconceived notions about the world of dominance and submission. Radclyffe demonstrates through the individuality of each character and how they respond physically as well as emotionally to each other, that there is not a singular definition. Radclyffe, the author of best-selling traditional lesbian romances and fast-paced mysteries, took a risk with Shadowland. With intelligence and respect for the reader, Radclyffe and Shadowland do not offer a simple formula for a love story, but through the depths of despair and powerlessness, Shadowland shows that love and mutual trust can redeem us. Radclyffe had the courage to go outside the box and create a love story that exposes the dark side of human beings, and through this shadow emerges the promise of hope. Maybe the power of love can heal us after all. |
 Sierra
City by Gerri Hill ISBN: 1931513988 Bella Books, Inc Paperback/ $12.95, 275 pages Genre: Fiction/ Lesbian Romance Review by Kathi Isserman Gerri Hill’s Sierra City literally takes my breath away with another passionate, heart-stopping romance. It is a story about closure as well as new beginnings in the lives of three women. Chris McKenna is a search and rescue worker, newly relocated to Sierra City. There she meets and befriends the reclusive Annie Stone, mother of the successful author Jessie Stone. Jessie decides that after 17 years it is time to deal with her painful childhood memories so she travels back to Sierra City under an alias, Jennifer Parker. Jessie literally runs into Chris on the Sierra trails while Chris is working, and they become fast friends, but Chris does not tell Jessie that she knows who she really is and that she regularly spends time with her mother. Unable to come to terms with her past, Jessie, who is used to bedding any woman she meets, tries to seduce Chris to help her extinguish the pain. It backfires, and Jessie abruptly leaves the mountains, returning to New York City. Hill always crafts memorable characters. In Jessie Stone, she has created a lost soul. She is a woman who does not like herself and therefore cannot develop any kind of relationship. We learn who Jessie is through her failed attempts to connect with those around her, through her confusing memories of her childhood, and through her tortured thoughts about who she “thinks” she is. Jessie takes a journey to discover her past in Sierra City, and meets Chris McKenna, a warm and compassionate person, an enigma to Jessie. Hill shows us Jessie’s struggles with clear dialogue and crisp descriptions of her thoughts. Hill expertly weaves multiple plots in the story each complementing the other. She gives us nonstop action on the mountains of search and rescue teams while holding fast to the main story of Jessie, Annie and Chris. And in the end, Hill surprises the reader with an unpredictable conclusion. Sierra City is truly a story of redemption and salvation with plenty of angst, passion, and tearful moments. With Hill’s creation of believable characters, this reader could not help but root for Jessie, Annie and Chris. |