Review – Where Angels Fear by Sunny Frazier
Murder, Astrology and Kinky Sex in California's Central Valley
Sep 26, 2009
Christy Bristol is a unique protagonist in a part of California not usually featured in crime fiction. She's an administrative assistant at an outpost of the sheriff's office in the San Joaquin Valley who – in a truly unusual twist – moonlights as an astrologist. Christy gets sucked into investigating a series of suspicious deaths linked to an exclusive and highly secretive sex club, after a wealthy woman hires her to prepare her missing husband's astrological chart.
The Set-up
Christy goes (somewhat reluctantly) from astrologer to investigator at the urging of her best friend and former co-worker/roommate, Lennie Watkins. Lennie left the sheriff's office to work at a detective agency and is determined to play Sam Spade, after Christy tells her about her latest astrological client. Together, as the women investigate the husband's disappearance, they stumble across a series of seemingly connected deaths – all well-to-do men and all related in some way to the Knights of Sensani, a mysterious and kinky sex club.
They follow a twisted trail leading to the club itself, the Veterans Hospital, a sly college professor whose field of study might make Kinsey blush and a string of widows, reacting in highly varied ways to their husbands' deaths. Naturally, they cross paths with the police (and Christy's own boss) along the way. These run-ins with law enforcement, along with the appearance of a fresh-faced, go-getting co-worker (Lennie's replacement) in Christy's office, create no small degree of stress for our heroine. Plus there's also Christy's DEA agent boyfriend, whose work keeps him on the road a lot, but who makes at least one untimely and awkward appearance in the story.
A Good Balance of Grit and Warmth
Having a protagonist with a new age avocation who also works in law enforcement makes for a tale that neatly combines the grit of police work with the warm and fuzzy aspects of the main character's side career. Author Sunny Frazier walks a fine line between the darkness of her subject (murders connected to sado-masochism) and Christy's essential goodness.
Although Christy is by no means a prude, she can seem somewhat prim and repressed compared with Lennie, a nouveau riche, oversexed, free spirit, who not only spurs Christy into action, but is one of those colorful sidekicks who could threaten to dominate the story, if not kept in check. As it is, the women make engaging buddies, with Lennie acting as the perfect foil to the more restrained and cautious Christy.
A Page-Turner Leading to a Big Finish
Meanwhile, Christy gets occasional telepathic warnings from her sister – a telepathic nun, of all things – that add to the quirky new age story angle and create additional tension and suspense. The complex plot, wry humor and winning characters keep the reader hooked and turning pages until the thrilling finish – one that puts Christy in great jeopardy.
With just the right amount of edgy humor, Frazier manages to tell a story that depicts the "mean streets" of a small California town without straying too far from the comfort zone of a cozy-style mystery, thanks largely to its winning, nice gal protagonist. The story ends on a note that suggests that this series will include even more interesting complications for Christy in the future and leaves you wanting to find out what they'll be.
Where Angels Fear Oak Tree Press (April 2009), ISBN: 978-1-8923-4357-4
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