Katherine V. Forrest

Perhaps it's because it's been awhile since I've read a real Science Fiction novel, or maybe it's the novel itself, but it took awhile for me to get into the flow of this novel. There was a lot of world building that Forrest had to do, both in regards to the futuristic (2199) Earth where some of the story took place, as well as major world building of the planet Maternas. And it did take me awhile to get the lingo of the novel down, but once I got into the meat of the story, it flowed like show more well oiled piece of spaghetti.

It's also an interesting book because of the multiple levels it works on. You can read it and simply read the words for what they are. Or, you can consider what was happening in and around the time that it was written/published. 1984. Or, there's also a depressing way to read it, to do it while you realize that not much has changed since then.

One thing that I thought was cool and unexpected to me (after all, read anything about the book pre-reading it and you'll know it's about women and a lot of women) was the awesome environmental message that's sprinkled throughout the book. If only we tried to treat our Earth with a quarter of the compassion that the citizens of Maternas did. (Although, I have to admit, I like meat, I really do). show less

Every book up until this one involved an investigation into murder. This time it's Law and Order. Opens with murder. Shortly thereafter the police arrest a man for the crime and he confesses. Rest of book is the murder trial.

One of the big points that pop up in both the defense of the defendant and among police officers who are supposed to be investigating the case is the "Homosexual Defense". Two-fold: 1) guy deserved to die because he was gay; 2) defendant deserves to get off due to how a show more "normal common sense person" would freak out if a homosexual person attempted . . . well, breathing near them.

Oh, and less seen, but this "homosexual element" also impacts the prosecution. None of the male attorneys want the case, so it gets "dumped" onto a female attorney who has never done a murder trial before.

Kate's police partner basically shuts down and wants nothing to do with the case when it turns out that the murder victim is a gay man, and the murderer, during the confession, notes that he freaked out and that's why he killed. Ed wants the guy to get involuntary manslaughter, if that, because gay people are icky. Also, the police officers interviewing neighbors, witnesses, etc., are quite brief as they don't wish to be involved with the case. So Kate has to handle the police side by herself. Mostly.

I wasn't sure how the murder trial would go. How it would be written. I had not read one written by Forrest before. First two witnesses were basically described as "they got up, they gave their testimony, they got off the stand." So, it wasn't looking that thrilling, but then things picked up. In the end, the trial parts were probably among the best scenes I've read. show less

This is the fourth book in the Forrest's Kate Delafield series, and I thought it was the best so far. All of Kate's personal stuff from the previous three books that has been bubbling under the surface during the murder investigations come to a roiling boil.

The book starts with a murder, as usual. It was the murder of a gay man, Teddie Crawford, in the restaurant he owns. Kate's job, of course, is to find out who did it. She does, but this isn't a police procedural like the previous three, show more but more like a legal mystery.

Most of the book takes place in the courtroom, prosecuting the alleged murderer that Kate catches. And it's amazing stuff. Forrest has managed to gloss over the most boring parts of the trail and plays up very, very well the more exciting parts.

I also really liked how Forrest approached Kate and Aimee's relationship that started in the previous book and the friendships with those from the Nightwood Bar (from the second book). This was the first book that really felt like it was more than just a stand alone story with the same characters from the rest of the series.

I'd give this an awesomely intense five stars. show less

I never thought that there'd be another Kate Delafield novel, and so I was stoked when I saw there would be a ninth book in the series. And for the most part I really liked this addition to Kate's story.

I do have to say that it took a bit for me to get back into the series. It's been awhile since I read the previous stories, and so some of the characters weren't right at the tip of my brain.

As we get into the story Kate is five months retired, off again with Aimee, and some of her... liquid show more habits are not good for her. Maggie, her best friend, is dying and in Hospice, and Joe, her former partner is missing.

Carolina Walcott, a Captain in the LAPD and Kate's former boss asks Kate to look into Joe's disappearance. She also gives Kate the card of Calla, the therapist that Kate had seen as a police officer, and who is no longer on the LAPD payroll.

There was a lot going on, including all of the above as well as some interesting stuff with Kate's nephew Dylan too. I do sort of wish that the story had had more about Dylan and his family in it, but what was there was pretty cool.

It was mostly a mystery. I honestly wasn't sure whether or not Kate would find Joe and if she did if he'd be alive. but, near the end there was a bit of a suspense thriller too and that was cool.

I'd also love to see another book in the series, but if there's not another one I thought this one ended in a good place too. show less