Rating: 
Summary: Exciting, Engrossing, Not to be Missed!
Review: This debut novel, part action, part police procedural, and part romance, is a real corker. Goldsby takes an oft-used character type-a burned out police detective-and builds a clever and engrossing plot around her. Lesbian LAPD cop Foster Everett hasn't even hit age 30 yet, and she's already seen one too many murders and far too many instances of abuse, neglect, and generally despicable behavior by the lawless element in her city. On the trail of snuff film porn purveyors, she and her partner, Smitty, go on what seems to be a routine bust at a video store. They find a small child chained up and capture the kidnapper. Foster loses her cool completely and beats him up. She goes outside to cool off and wait for backup, only to be told that the pedophile has suddenly died in their custody. Foster can't believe it; Smitty sends her away, saying he'll cover it up. Foster has a conscience, and she can't quite bear the burden of guilt. In true messed-up-cop fashion, she starts drinking heavily. Then Smitty dies mysteriously, supposedly a suicide, and leaves her in a world of hurt. Still drinking heavily, she is spiraling downhill when she is befriended by Riley Medeiros, the bouncer at the lesbian bar. Before Foster has unearthed many clues about Smitty's death, much less her own problems, her life is in danger and she's forced to run. Riley becomes her rescuing angel. What makes this story especially good is the effective integration of the growing affection between Riley and Foster as the stakes from running away get higher and higher. The relationship between the two women seems natural and doesn't interrupt the flow of the enigmatic mystery. But even with Riley's help and support, Foster's attempts to investigate from a distance and via friends in the department are met with deadly consequences. It becomes clear that if she is found, she's dead-and Riley and any friends, too. Can Foster uncover the truth in order to find out who is masterminding the murders and cover-ups before they get her? The first person narration of the story is fresh and often sarcastically funny. "She even slept like an innocent...like she hadn't a care in the world. I slept like a criminal, balled up into a fetal position with one hand under my pillow where my weapon was usually hidden" (p. 130). The novel is perfectly plotted and has a very real voice and consistently accurate tone, which is not always the case with lesbian mysteries. Foster's gradual awakening to her own pain and to the resolution of the mess she is in makes for an exciting and satisfying read complete with several unexpected twists. In addition, Goldsby has done a fine job navigating the cross-genre nature of this book. For readers of lesbian action, adventure, and romance, Wall of Silence is not to be missed. I give it my highest recommendation. --Lori L. Lake, Midwest Book Review
Rating:
Summary: Finally!
Review: This is the first book that I've read in six months. I was a voracious reader of mystery fiction especially those with women as the leads but I found myself getting jaded by the cookie cutter perfect characters. I have never in my life missed sleep over a book until I decided to purchase this one. Boy am I glad I did. From the very first sentence of the book I was hooked and could not put the book down to go to bed. In fact I ended up hiding it in my desk at work so that I could finish it this morning. One of the things I loved was that the author didn't spend a lot of time trying to use 20 dollar words yet the word choices and dialogue was so clever that I can think of at least four times that I laughed out loud. I can't help but think that there will be more books with these two very sexy characters. That could just be wishful thinking though. I highly recommend this one. DP
Rating:
Summary: Drama! Mystery! Suspense!
Review: What happens when you blank out and think you've done something unforgivable and there seems to be no way out? One woman, a female police officer, finds herself asking just that. The only thing she can think to do is run where she can't be found. Offering her aid and a place of refuge is a female bouncer from a bar frequented by the police officer.
As they work to unravel the mystery of what was done questions begin to arise. What caused the police officer to blank out? How did the situation lead to the death of someone close to her? And what secrets does the bouncer herself hold? And finally, will the proverbial "Wall of Silence" of the police department prove an unbreachable obstacle?
Also showing up in the mix, are feelings for each other that the two women try to deny. As they spend more time together unraveling the clues, they are finally forced to acknowledge what they mean to each other. Will this newfound relationship help or hinder? Will they be able to solve the mystery before someone else dies?
Intriguing, dynamic and suspenseful, Wall of Silence is a great story of life, love, friendship, and seemingly overwhelming odds.
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