The Last Blue Plate Special

Abigail Padgett

Blue McCarron is a gay social psychologist who lives in the shell of Wrens Gulch Inn, an abandoned motel. She has teamed up both personally and professionally with Roxie Bouchie, an African American prison staff psychiatrist. And now theyve taken on a baffling case. Now, Blue and Roxie will have to decipher cryptic notes signed by someone called The Sword of Heaven.

—From Publishers Weekly

A funny, idiosyncratic cast of characters and a cunningly developed series of murders are the highlights in an otherwise middling sequel to 1998’s Blue, which introduced social psychologist and amateur shamus Blue McCarron. Here Blue and her foxy lover, prison psychiatrist Roxie Bouchie, join detective Wes Rathbone and his wife, Annie, and Blue’s Doberman, Bront?, in nosing through San Diego and the surrounding desert in search of the fanatic who is murdering prominent local female politicians. The murderer, who leaves a Blue Willow china plate as a calling card after each killing, is somehow causing women who have had plastic surgery at a posh clinic where the blue plates are part of the d?cor to suffer fatal strokes. Who hates successful women enough to commit wanton murder? Is it one of the members of the clinic’s staff? Is it a political enemy? Or could it be a random religious fanatic who leaves messages from ‘The Sword in Heaven’ (Isaiah 34) for Blue and the cops after the murders? Unfortunately, a buildup that promises a racy, risqu?, zany story never really pays off. Some readers will applaud the feminist political sentiments, but others will find the novel ultimately as flat and dry as the desert sand. (Mar. 7) Forecast: Padgett, author of the Bo Bradley series (Strawgirl), has a strong following among feminist mystery fans, but this so-so effort is unlikely to help her win the broader audience her publisher is seeking with its concerted marketing and promotion campaign.

From Library Journal

When two prominent female politicians die in San Diego of cerebral hemorrhages within days of each other, social psychologist Blue McCarron knows that their deaths are a statistical impossibilityDthey simply cannot be from natural causes. Within hours, a female evangelist almost dies, and threats from a religious fanatic, illustrated with blue willow plates, tie the three victims together. Blue and her lover, Roxanne, a criminal psychiatrist, are hired by the police as consultants and trace the three women to a posh plastic surgery clinic. As Blue and Rox investigate the clinic, the killer turns his attention on Blue, a strong, nontraditional woman who offends his ultraconservative religious beliefs. When Blue finds a blue willow plate on the doorstep of her isolated desert home, she knows the hunt has become a deadly game and that the unknown killer has every advantage. This second mystery featuring Blue McCarron (following Blue, LJ 10/1/98) is full of unpredictable turns and is totally enthralling. Blue and Rox are funny and sweet, brave yet scared, as they navigate their new relationship amid the terrifying hunt for a serial killer. Highly recommended for public libraries.DKaren Anderson, Quarles & Brady/Streich Lang, Phoenix

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Details

ISBN	892967315
Genre	Mystery
Copyright Date	2001
Publication Date	Mar-01
Publisher	Mysterious Press
Format	Hardcover
No. of Pages	304
Series	Blue McCarron Mystery
# in Series	2
Language	English
Rating	NotRated
BookID	6524

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The Last Blue Plate Special by Abigail Padgett