Good Bad Woman by Elizabeth Woodcraft

Good Bad Woman

Elizabeth Woodcraft

Frankie Richmond is a London Barrister long on attitude and short on lucrative work. Her chaotic private life interrupts her professional one far too often but never so dangerously as when she agrees to defend an old friend. A routine appearance at a magistrate’s court catapults Frankie into a nightmare from which she wakes up to find herself arrested – for murder. The police would love to see her go down so Frankie sets out to solve the case herself – whilst trying to revive her flagging career, disentangle her mercurial friendships and meet the woman of her dreams. As she steps up her search for the killer – and a particularly elusive Sir Douglas Quintet track- Frankie’s talent for sowing confusion is given full rein, particularly when clearing her name involves exposing some unsavoury truths about those closest to her.

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From Publishers Weekly

The personal and professional lives of ‘working class lesbian barrister’ Frankie Richmond collide in this noirish debut from British barrister Woodcraft, who provides a bleak view of abused women and the legal system that too often fails to protect them. Frankie defends lovely, rebellious Saskia Baron on a drunk and disorderly, but it soon becomes clear that Saskia is involved in a far more serious crime-though it’s Frankie herself who faces a possible murder charge when the body of the creep who’s been trailing Saskia turns up in a North London park with Frankie’s car license plate beneath him. Frankie’s falling for vulnerable nightclub singer Margo, who blows hot and cold, complicates her search for the elusive Saskia. The torching of the trailer where Saskia lies low and an incriminating credit card planted in Frankie’s flat, as well as an unreliable car and a bank overdraft, add to the barrister’s woes. Her love of pop songs, particularly Motown, helps buoy her spirits, as does her cheery single mum, whose success at romance stands in such contrast to her own. Relationships-between colleagues, friends and lovers, old and new-overshadow the detective work and account for all the story’s surprises. Once Saskia no longer fears talking, the killer’s identity and motive are out in the open, and the climactic confrontation with the menacing villain follows true to formula. In future outings one trusts the author will develop more skill at plotting as she hones her portrait of her rueful heroine.

Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Owing to circumstantial evidence, Frances ‘Frankie’ Richmond, a lesbian British lawyer, stands accused of a murder she didn’t commit. It all begins when she represents an old acquaintance named Saskia in court: Saskia walks, a suspicious man follows, Saskia bolts, and Frankie follows the man, who beats her up and then gets killed. After police charge her in the murder, Frankie tries to find Saskia, who seems to hold the key to it all. Frankie’s lawyer friend Kay (an ex-lover), best friend Lena, and law-clerk Gavin provide welcome character subplots. Lively and imaginative, this first novel is highly recommended for most mystery collections as well as for gay/lesbian fiction collections.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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