Louisiana Hotshot: A Talba Wallis Novel (Hardcover)

As with most poets, Talba needs a day job to support her writing. Due to her razzle-dazzle preparation, she stuns elderly white male detective Eddie Valentino, into hiring her. He had braced himself to hire a nerd, but a "nerdette"? Eddie takes her along on what looks to be a pretty ho-hum case: finding out the identity of a man who has molested the client's daughter. The situation heats up considerably when a sure fire witness suddenly dies in a hit and run accident. Running concurrent with the investigation is Talba's emerging curiosity about just who and what her father was. Her entire family seems to be in mutual conspiracy to keep her in the dark about him.

The story has a good pace and is always colorful, but Ms. Smith does tend to overplot. She has such a long stretch about her father; I almost forgot the other mystery entirely. Actually, the two stories could stand alone and probably should have. The tie-in, as always, is the wonderful depictions of the star that grabs the spotlight: New Orleans. I can't think of anyone who captures the feel of this city like Smith does. "New Orleans Hotshot" is a nice welcome back for Julie Smith.

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Talba & Eddie join forces to take down a slimy scoundrel who enchants and lures teenage girls. These girls ultimately end up disappearing. Both running from family problems and running into family secrets, they traipse the saucy streets of Louisiana before the lothario strikes again.

Talba Wallis is a sepia, recalcitrant, confident, self-taught computer whiz and amateur sleuth. Her brazen style and wispy attitude has everyone's attention. At night, Talba becomes self-proclaimed royalty, an arrogant, aspiring poet calling herself Baroness Pontalba.

Eddie Valentino is an expiring private detective. He is cranky, chauvinistic, computer-phobic, mentally fatigued, and physically exhausted. His Italian temper and his primal views of women get him into trouble. Talba becomes an aristocratic thorn in his side. "She was pushy, she was smart-mouthed, she was probably brilliant (or thought she was, which was just as bad) She was also cute as a button, and the whole package added up to one large pain...." says Eddie.

Julie Smith tells a toxic suspense story that keeps you guessing, curious, and anxious. Julie breathes life into a unique character with style, flair, wit, and smarts. Talba is one of those characters that makes you smile when remembering her, as you anticipate reading about her again. In Eddie, Julie gives us the polar opposite, his unmistakable Louisiana cadence and drawl, an Italian temper, and a tongue that drips with sarcasm. She forces them to co-exist, interact, and work together. The chemistry between the two is phenomenal. There is never a dull moment. Their satirical banter and quip dialogue flows fluidly through the novel. Julie's writing is vivid and sharp. She leaves no strings untied, and brings the characters and subplots full circle. If you like a good mystery, you'll love Louisiana Hotshot. -- Reviewed by KaTrina Love