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While I was reading this book I was continually reminded of the Lily Allen song “Not Fair,�� in which the singer, after listing many sterling qualities of her current boyfriend, goes on to say

“There’s just one thing that’s getting in the way,
When we go up to bed you’re just no good, it’s such a shame.��

I was able to find many sterling descriptions of McNab’s writing in some of the reviews and blurbs that speak of her popularity and expertise, but when I actually got into reading the book, there was certainly something missing. As Allen says, she didn’t “make me scream.�� Certainly it was a letdown from the first novel in the series.

The fact is, this novwl—and McNab in general—reads like a second-rate Katherine V. Forrest and her protagonist is a second-rate Kate Delafield. There are a number of parallels between Carol Ashton and Kate Delafield. Both are high-ranking police detectives in large cities and both are closet lesbians with live-in partners who are not. Carol is obviously the prettier of the two (McNab pounds her attractiveness home every few pages) but not as good a detective. While Kate’s methods of investigation are carefully and repeatedly documented in her cases, Carol just seems to go from one interview to another until she gets an epiphany. Here are some more parallels. Not only does Carol's relationship with Sybil—who is a murder suspect in book 1�� mirror Kate's with Aimee, but they even have the same sexual preferences.

Cop Out is a family whodunit. The brother is murdered with the sister found over the body. The clues are well spaced and the pace of the novel itself is good. There is even a surprise clue near the end that delves into the homophobia within families. But again, I can’t imagine that this twist (and the murder itself) was not inspired by events in Forrest’s Murder at the Nightwood Bar. Forrest is, by the way, listed as the editor of this book.

But, getting back to Lily Allen, being a second-rate Katherine V. Forrest is not the end of the world. The book could have been better; it should, in fact, have been longer in order to flesh out aspects of the characters that were only mentioned quickly at the last minute (for instance, the murdered brother is described as having homosexual inclinations only, yet a bit of the plot hangs on the fact that he thinks that he has AIDS). Conversations are sometimes stiff and there are more descriptions than a normal yin-yang can hold. But a book can’t be expected to be perfect, can it? Lighten up, Lily.

Note: I read the first Naiad printing of this book.

Another Note: This review is included in my book along with information on over 930 other lesbian mysteries by over 310 authors.