This is the second book about Vera Kelly, a twenty-something gay woman trying to make a life in 1960’s NYC. I hadn’t read the first book–and hadn’t even realized that there was a first book– so it’s safe to say that this works as a stand-alone. In 1967, homosexuality is not accepted in mainstream society, and Vera’s outing after her girlfriend moves out costs Vera her job. She decides to fall back on the skills learned as a CIA agent and open a private investigator agency.
As might be expected, both her sex and her sexuality work against here, but Vera is undaunted. When she takes a case looking for a Dominican couple’s missing nephew, she finds a lot more than she bargained for. This is good mix-up of a missing person mystery and a spy thriller, and I was rooting for Vera all the way.
Recommended for those looking for a strong female lead in a setting that’s out of the ordinary.
I received a digital ARC from the publisher (WW Norton) via NetGalley.
Give me a book and a cup of tea 