Kills Well with Others by Deanna Raybourn —Three Versions of my review

I thought it would be fun to play around with AI using Microsoft Copilot. Here are three versions. First is my original review. Second is Copilot's improved/edited version. Third is Copilot's generated review. In this case, it's pretty obvious that AI needs specific prompts to be effective.

1. Original Review

Retired assassins Helen, Billie, Natalie, Mary Alice are back after the events in Killers of a Certain Age. This time, someone within The Museum has sold their names to people with a grudge and they find themselves targets. Being who they are, they assemble their gear and go on the attack. Their pursuit begins in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia and sees the team traverse multiple countries to eliminate the threat.

This is an enjoyable fast-paced action thriller with a respectable body count. I like the way the author has built the characters. They are unrepentant at having killed many times at the direction of The Museum. They are “necessary monsters”, removing the worst of humanity and making the world a better place. They aren’t reluctant assassins and in fact miss the thrill of being on active duty.

For me this is an often darkly humorous character driven story that doesn’t stint on the action. The action itself is well choreographed and I would say cinegraphic which is not a negative, it’s very visual. As I read I imagined how the story would look on the screen. The ladies have distinct personalities—two of them squabble almost continuously—but form a lethal team.

This story has what I wanted: likeable characters, interesting plot (you will learn a bit about stolen artwork), and excellent action set pieces to get your pulse racing. All-in-all, a most enjoyable read that I hope gets picked up as a miniseries by one of the streamers. Make that both books.

2. My Review improved by Copilot

Retired assassins Helen, Billie, Natalie, and Mary Alice return after the thrilling events of "Killers of a Certain Age." This time, they find themselves targeted by individuals with a grudge, thanks to someone within The Museum who has sold their names. True to their nature, they gear up and go on the offensive, starting their pursuit in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, and traversing multiple countries to eliminate the threat.

This novel is a fast-paced action thriller with a respectable body count. Raybourn excels in character development, portraying the assassins as unapologetic and unrepentant for their past actions. They are "necessary monsters," eliminating the worst of humanity to make the world a better place. Far from reluctant, they miss the thrill of active duty.

The story is often darkly humorous and driven by its well-crafted characters. The action sequences are meticulously choreographed and visually striking, making it easy to imagine the story on screen. Each assassin has a distinct personality, with two of them engaging in continuous squabbles, yet they form a lethal team.

The novel delivers everything one could want: likable characters, an intriguing plot (including insights into stolen artwork), and excellent action set pieces that get your pulse racing. Overall, "Kills Well with Others" is a highly enjoyable read that deserves to be adapted into a miniseries. Both books in the series would make fantastic viewing.

3. Copilot Generated Review (pretty bad IMHO)

"Kills Well with Others" by Deanna Raybourn is a delightful and engaging read that masterfully blends mystery, humor, and historical fiction. Raybourn's writing is both witty and captivating, drawing readers into a world filled with intriguing characters and unexpected twists.

The protagonist is a breath of fresh air, with a sharp mind and a knack for getting into and out of trouble in the most entertaining ways. The plot is well-paced, keeping you hooked from the first page to the last, with plenty of surprises along the way.

Raybourn's attention to historical detail adds depth and authenticity to the story, making it not just a thrilling mystery but also a fascinating glimpse into the past. The dialogue is sharp and often laugh-out-loud funny, adding a layer of charm to the already compelling narrative.

Overall, "Kills Well with Others" is a must-read for fans of historical mysteries and anyone looking for a book that is both smart and fun. Deanna Raybourn has once again proven herself to be a master storyteller, and this novel is a testament to her talent. Highly recommended!

Everyone in my Family has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson

Australia. Remote ski resort. No cell phone reception. Snow storm. Dysfunctional family reunion. Everyone has secrets. Pretty much all the elements you need for a Golden Age mystery (1920s-’50s. Ernest (Ern) Cunningham is the 1st person reliable (self-professed) narrator and black sheep of the family after testifying against his brother at a murder trial. Awkward especially as his brother has just been released from prison and is on his way to join the reunion.

This is a mystery thriller with a body count so not a cozy but Ern has a chatty way of addressing the reader directly that is engaging and often delightfully snarky and darkly humorous. He also writes books about how to write mystery books.Throughout the story, He applies the Golden Age of Detective Fiction rules for writing mystery novels (e.g.Ronald Knox’s “Ten Commandments of Detective Fiction,1929” and the membership oath of the Detection Club, 1930). The rules boil down to play fair with the reader and Ern promises to play fair in describing the events.

I confess a lot of my enjoyment comes from the author incorporating aspects of Golden Age detective fiction in which at one time I immersed myself. But above all it has a good cast of characters, an entertaining narrator, and a fine plot that unfolds at a good pace. I plan to continue with the series.The next one is Everyone On This Train is a Suspect and I’m a sucker for train mysteries.

If you think the rules for writing detective fiction are fun, check out S.S. Van Dine's Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories.

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

So you need a break from epic fantasy and the dark stuff? Well this cozy fantasy might be the palate cleanser you’re looking for. Viv the orc scores one last victory that gives her what she needs to finally fulfill her dream to hang up her sword and open a coffee shop. She settles in the city of Thune and sets about the process of finding a location, hiring staff, and ordering what’s needed to start her business.

Honestly, you know how the story’s going to go but the fun is in watching it unfold. There are stumbles, disaster, bonding, developing relationships, colorful characters, bad guys, and a feel-good ending. Oh, and a cat, a cozy fantasy needs a cat.

I enjoyed the story and the way the author pulled the story elements together and gave the reader well drawn characters, Viv’s inner circle and nasty baddies. Viv goes against expectations as a sword wielding, blood soaked warrior (retired) turned awkward, often uncertain, small business owner.

I found this a fun read but you really need to be in the mood for a cozy or a devoted reader of cozies. I think it avoided descending into tweeness but your mileage may vary. This is the third cozy fantasy I’ve read this year and I’ve reached my saturation point and will stop for a while before my noir self rebels

Command Performance by Jean Echenoz trans. by Mark Polizzotti

Gerard Fulmard, is a former flight attendant who was fired after an unspecified incident on a Paris-Zurich flight that also left him blacklisted and required to attend twice weekly therapy sessions. He tries his hand at the private detective trade but reality doesn’t match the dream and disaster ensues.Then in a turn hopefully for the better, his therapist brings him into a minor French political party in crises, the IPF (Independent Popular Federation), as a special operative, with even worse results.

I enjoyed this book and found it delightful. Fulmard is not hero material— he’s rather selfish, self centered and delusional— but still engaging as a character and the internal squabbling within the IPF is fun to watch unfold.

I saw this book described as very French. Though I don’t know what this means, I might have an inkling based on its quirky style.

It’s easy to focus only on the style of the writing, which I loved, but it isn’t a case of form over substance. Rather the style pulls it all together. It has elements of satire and parody of the amateur PI, the roman policier (detective story), and politics which are playfully presented. The story switches between the 1st person narration of Fulmard and an omniscient observer commenting on and speculating about what’s happening when Fulmard isn’t around. Fulmard and the observer often branch off into digressions such as Fulmard considering the options when only one sock has a hole in the toe; and the observer delivering mini biographies. All of this is done with a droll style that made me smile. The translator’s choice of words adds to the style and fun of reading. I have to believe that the use of uncommon words is deliberate and intended to add literary flourishes. For example:

"Franck Terrail’s mustache is not assertoric but apodictic:"

assertoric = something that can be proven as a fact

apodictic = beyond dispute

[About a character on the beach] “Her outfit is not particularly balneal”

balneal = of or relating to a bath or bathing

The author has a fun way of describing things like Fulard’s self-deprecating observation about himself, “I look like anyone else, only less so” and another character who “Stared at the bare walls as if they weren’t”. Clever, amusing, and you know what he is conveying.

Story and style are both great fun.

The Convenience Story Woman by Sayaka Murata trans. by Ginny Tapley Takemor

Keiko Furukura is a 36 year old Japanese woman who has been an employee of the same convenience store for 18 years. This has been her only job. Keiko is neurodivergent who learns at an early age not to say or act on what’s in her mind; she scares people. She has bits of Molly the maid in Nita Prose’s The Maid, and Patric Gagne in her memoir, Sociopath. She knows she has to appear normal in society and with the aid of her sister has developed responses to common situations. Her family still hopes she will be “cured” and find a husband and have children.

The book is told in first person by Keiko who relates her life in the store and her marginal home life and considers her place in society. She observes:

“I’m a convenience store worker, a cog in society. This is the only way I can be normal.”

“My present self is formed almost completely of the people around me”

”The normal world has no room for exceptions and always quietly eliminates foreign objects.”

I like the character of Keiko and don’t find her sad or pathetic. The author does well in portraying a neurodivergent person in a “normal” world faced with pressures from family and friends who don’t understand how she can stay in a dead-end job.

In the end this is an affirming story of someone marginalized by society but not by herself and I cheered Keiko on. It’s a good story and has interesting and relatable characters and I learned something from reading it.

The 7 ½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turto

This is a wild one and I suspect the gimmick won't be for everyone. I think it's great. The narrator wakes up not knowing who he is or where he is or what he's doing there. Someone in a plague doctor outfit tells him he’s at Blackheath where Evelyn Hardcastle will be murdered at 11PM. He can’t escape until Evelyn’s murder is solved. He has 8 days and 8 hosts to solve it. He will have a full day in each host but if he doesn’t succeed his memories will be wiped and the cycle will repeat as has been going on for decades.

Here’s where the story may lose readers. It is non-linear in telling. If a host falls unconscious during the day, the narrator jumps to another host and begins to experience the same day’s events through that host’s eyes and to make things even more interesting, he revisits the same host multiple times. So our narrator is jumping around in time, place, and viewpoints and trying to make sense of what he finds. The personalities of his hosts begin to bleed over which adds further stress the more he inhabits each host.

The author pulls off this conceit admirably. It’s no mean feat to give each host a distinct and sometimes repulsive personality and to manage the discoveries of each host so that they eventually complete the puzzle. It is a beautifully intricate technique which I enjoyed greatly.

This can take its toll on the reader and as the story progressed and more hosts were added I found myself exclaiming “Wait, what!”. I also think having 8 hosts was a good idea. I can’t think of one I would eliminate to make it shorter.

I enjoyed the writing, the flow of the story, and the character development. There is one plot line that annoyed me because of the passive way the hosts react (sorry for being cryptic) but it does advance the story so there you have it.

It’s a fun read and I recommend it.

Review: No Orchids for Miss Blandish (1939) by James Hadley Chase

I'd seen No Orchids for Miss Blandish on lists of noir books but the title made the book seem more cosy-like than my preferred reading (hardboiled, noir, and noirish) so I didn't pursue it. Then I ran across a review of it somewhere—probably one of the blogs posts linked below—and decided that it is my kind of book. I tracked down a copy and I couldn't have been more wrong in judging a book by its title.

At the bottom of this post I link to two blog reviews and two in depth analyses of Miss Blandish. I recommend checking them out.

There are massive plot details in this review so be warned if you read past the synopsis.

Synopsis: After a party where the daughter of the Meat King is presented with the family heirloom pearls worth $50,000, Miss Blandish and her escort Jerry McGovern go to the Golden Slipper club. Unknown to Miss Blandish, the Riley Gang knows about the pearls and, after she and McGovern leave the club, intercept their car on a lonely stretch of road. In a struggle, McGovern is killed. Because she saw the murder, the gang takes her with them as they escape. Unfortunately for the Riley Gang, they are spotted by members of the Grisson Gang who figure out that Miss Blandish is the unconscious girl in the car. They also figure that the Riley Gang will take her to a gang neutral hideout, Johnny's. Members of Ma Grisson's gang, led by her psychotic and depraved son, Slim, snatch Miss Blandish from the Riley Gang. It doesn't end well for Riley and his men.

The Grisson's find themselves in a sweet spot since everyone thinks that the Riley's still have Miss Blandish. They figure on disposing of her once they have collected the ransom but Slim has other plans for the heiress and she is held in brutal and debasing captivity.

The ransom is paid, ostensibly to the Riley Gang, and several months pass with no sign of Miss Blandish, alive or dead. Daddy Blandish approaches Dave Fenner, formerly a reporter and a now private detective, to find his daughter. Mr. blandish has little hope that his daughter will be found alive. Bur Fenner has contacts and methods not available to the police and Blandish figures he might be able to get closure. In an unusual twist, the police are actually okay with the private detective running the case. Fenner does crack the case fairly quickly and it becomes a race to get to Miss Blandish while she still lives.

My Take: James Hadley Chase was one of the pen names of the Englishman René Lodge Brabazon Raymond, who had never been to America. Chase seems an unlikely person to write an American-style gangster/hardboiled detective story. Indeed, there are several versions of how this first novel came to be. Did Chase, who was working as a bookseller for a wholesaler, see a marketing opportunity to exploit interest in American crime stories like The Postman Always Rings Twice or after reading James M. Cain's book, The Postman Always Rings Twice, read about Ma Barker and her gang, steep himself in American gangsters, then sit down with some maps and a slang dictionary and write No Orchids for Miss Blandish (Wikipedia). Did he really knock it off over six weekends? Was he trying to out write James M. Cain? Did William Faulkner's Sanctuary have an influence? John Fraser covers this in his "Sidebar 1: Some Orchids for James Hadley Chase" (link below).

I'd say this is a must-read if you love gangster stories. Chase throws in everything he can imagine about American gangsters and doesn't hold back. There is no ambiguity in the depictions about sex and there is at least one stomach churning act of violence. The characters are mostly vile and that includes the private detective and law enforcement. Slim Grisson stands out for his utter depravity. I mean, he has yellow eyes. The language is a bit stilted by today's standards but if you've read other gangsters stories of the time, not overly so. Chase could also be pretty funny in his descriptions:

She was wearing a cream lace dress which made her look like a stack of unwashed curtains.

The room was richly furnished in bad taste.

Chase continued to write hardcore crime novels—over 90— and was even taken to court over one of his later books, Miss Callaghan Comes to Grief (1947) which was banned in the UK.

However it came to be, No Orchids is pretty tough book that tapped into the public's desire for American style gangsters compared to which the English variety paled. In 1944 it was extensively analysed by George Orwell in his essay, "Raffles and Miss Blandish". Orwell called it "a brilliant piece of writing, with hardly a wasted word or jarring note anywhere". He also said that Chase "seems to have made a complete mental transference to the American underworld." I don't agree with Orwell that No Orchids is aimed at the power-instinct—I think it is greed and lust—but I do agree when he writes:

In a book like No Orchids one is not, as in the old-style crime story, simply escaping from dull reality into an imaginary world of action. One's escape is essentially into cruelty and sexual perversion.

Both the Orwell and Fraser explorations of No Orchids are well worth the read to get a thorough perspective of the book.

The problem with reviewing No Orchids for Miss Blandish is which version are you reviewing. It was published in 1939, revised in 1942, and extensively revised in 1961. If you've read No Orchids, there is a good chance that you have the 1961 version because that seems to be the version most often sold. You'll know for sure which version you've read if you read on. I picked up a used copy only to learn that editions subsequent to the original are very different and much more toned down. It proved a bit difficult to find the original 1939 text. A certain large online seller of books claims to have the unabridged and unexpurgated edition but it isn't. The only copy of the original unexpurgated version I've found readily available is from Stark House Press. There isn't a direct title link but it's on this Stark House Press page. Both print and ebook versions are available. Stark House Press has other Chase titles including the censored Miss Callaghan Comes to Grief.

Here is a quick way to tell if you're reading a revised edition. Look on the first page. If you see Highway 54 in the second paragraph you have the revised edition. Also, the dinner is named Minny's Hash House in the '39 edition  and only referred to as a gas station and lunchroom bar in later editions. I'd say that you're reading a different book if you have the '61 edition. Apparently Chase thought the prohibition setting of the '39 edition was too remote for modern readers prompting his revision.

Chase went all out when he wrote No Orchids and embraced the sex and violence that is implicit in gangster and hardboiled detective stories. At times there seems to be little difference between the gangsters and the authorities led by the private detective, Fenner. The brutal interrogation of Grisson gang member Eddie stands out.

We might chuckle at the dialogue and slang and what we might now see as stereotypical characters but Miss Blandish is still a cracking good read. It is violent with few likable characters but it has power and even pathos as we witness the total destruction of Miss Blandish. Chase's interpretation of the gangster, hardboiled, and genres is very well done. He does occasionally slip up and use British terms and spellings—like Kerb— and at times I had no idea what he meant but those are small things that didn't bother me.

For me, the 1961 revision strips out all the hard-edged power of the original. What remains is shorter, perhaps more palatable, and a smoother read but it does so by sacrificing the impact of the violence and sexuality of the original. In '39, only one of the principle female characters makes it out alive but in '61 several fates are rewritten to soften the story but not for the better. Having lost its blood, I find the revised edition anemic in comparison. Like I said above, it is a different book.

Let's look at some comparisons between editions which will demonstrate why I prefer the original and illustrate how well Chase could present some very bad people, on both side of the law.

The first chapter is a good place to start. Bailey, a member of the Riley Gang, enters Minny's Hash House and sees the waitress.

1939

The blonde, who was leaning over the counter, gave him a smile that made Bailey think of a piano. She had worked on herself until she looked as good as any movie star until you got close to her, then she wasn't so hot. She patted her tight yellow curls and stretched, so that her large breasts poked at Bailey through her thin dress.

Compare this to

1962

The blonde leaning over the counter smiled at him. She had big white teeth that reminded Bailey of piano keys, She was too fat to interest him. He didn't return the smile.

I don't know about you but I can see the blonde in the '39 edition but not really in the '62. The whole scene in Minny's is a more fun in '39 with Bailey and the waitress taking cracks at each other in the way you expect a thug and a blowsy hash house waitress would. This is cut entirely in '62.

Bailey in the hash house contrasts with Bailey during the abduction of Miss Blandish. During the abduction he beats McGovern to the ground then savagely kicks him to death. In '62 he shoots him.

Ma Grisson's son, Slim, is one of the most chilling, degenerate, and psychotic character written, particularly for 1939. He favors the knife which I think engenders more visceral fear than the gun. This is how he takes care of Riley at Johnny's.

1939
"I'm givin' it you there," Slim said, pricking the shuddering flesh with his knife. "Right in the guts, Riley, an' you'll take a mighty long time to croak."
"Listen, mister, you wouldn't do that to me," Riley gasped. "You can't do that to me ... I'm a right guy all right... don't I keep tellin' you ...Slim, you know me ... Riley? For Christ's sake ...don't ... don't do it! ...Don't do it ... Slim!"
Slim, still grinning, held the knife-point just below Riley's naval and put his weight on the handle. The knife went in slowly as if it were going into butter. Riley drew his lips back. His mouth opened. There was a long hiss of expelled breath as he stood there. Slim stepped back, leaving the black hilt of the knife growing out of Riley like a horrible malformation. Riley began to give low, wavering cries. His knees were buckling, but the cord held him.
Slim sat on the grass a few feet away and gave himself a cigarette. He pushed his hat over his eyes and squinted at Riley.
"Take your time, pal."

That last sentence, "Take your time, pal", is all the more striking because of its casualness and what it implies. Compare that to the same scene in '62:

1962
Riley opened his eyes.
"Don't kill me, Slim," he panted. "Gimme a break! Don't kill me!"
Slim grinned. The moving slowly through the patch of sunlight, he approached the cringing man.

Ma Grisson is almost as bad as her son, as cold, dangerous, and ruthless a person as you would never want to cross. The way she protects and enables Slim's perversions is chilling. When she first meets Miss Blandish:

1939

"You're going to stay here until your old man comes across, she said. If you're lucky you won't be here long. It all depends on your pa. If he tries to be smart, I'm goin' to take you apart in bits, and those bits will be sent to your pa every goddam day until he learns to play ball. Before I take you apart, I'll throw you to the boys an' what they'll do to you ain't nobody's business. You're going to behave, and you ain't causin' trouble. Do you get all that?"

1962

"Listen to me," she said, "you may be Blandish's daughter but you mean nothing to me. You're staying here until your old man buys you back. It depends on him how long you do stay here. While you're here, you're going to behave. So long as you do behave, you'll be left alone, but if you start making trouble, you'll have me to reckon with, I promise you. You'll be sorry if you do cross me. Do you understand." 

Much more menace is conveyed by the 1939 passage.

Later in this chapter and too long to quote, we see just how debased and lacking in humanity mother and son are. She reflects on Slim's impotence and need to revenge himself for his failures with women. At one point Slim asks her to hold Miss Blandish while he rapes her but Ma tells him "You shall have what you want, but not now...When the dough comes you shall have her an' she'll like it." When slim goes to bed Ma takes a rubber hose and beats Miss Blandish telling her what's going to happen to her and that "Slim's been a good boy to me an' he's going to have what he want he wants." She also tells Miss Blandish that she will be drugged into acquiescence and implying that is something she's done before. Unfortunately for Miss Blandish, all this comes to pass. In '62, all this is watered down and conveys none of the gut wrenching terror Miss Blandish must have felt.

After the Grisson gang gets the ransom, they discuss disposing of Miss Blandish. Slim Grisson flies into a rage and claims Miss Blandish for himself. In the 1939 edition, as Slim ascends the stairs to claim his prize, Chase draws out the moment, raising the tension, getting into Slim's mind:

He has gone over and over the details in his mind, and he knew just what he wanted to do. He felt that he could do it now; nothing was going to stop him. It was his moment and he was almost blinded with the pounding of blood in his brain.

But in the 1962 edition this is changed to Slim asserting his power within the gang:

At last he had shown his power. He had scared them all. From now on, he was going to have his rightful place in the gang. Ma was going to take second place. He looked down the passage at Miss Blandish's room. It was time he stopped sitting by her night after night. He must show her he wasn't only master of his mother, but master of her too.

This shifts the motivation from greed and degenerate lust to a power struggle which I do not think works as well.

When Slim enters Miss Blandish's room there is a long passage in the 1939 edition showing Miss Blandish's fear and resignation in agonizing detail:

"You won't come near me until I have a drink?" she said. "I couldn't bear it without a drink"
"Can't you leave me alone? ... keep away just a little longer ... don't touch me ... please don't ..."
She whispered suddenly to him in a small panic-ridden voice: "You're hurting me ... don't you know you ... hurt!"

In 1962 this scene becomes:

Miss Blandish watched him come across the room. She saw his new confidence and she guessed what it was to mean to her.

Shuddering, she shut her eyes.

Yes, it lets you use your imagination and you might prefer it that way but the impact is weakened.

At the end of the '62 edition, Chase give Miss Blandish a long exposition that isn't in '39:

[when asked if she wants her father] "No." She looked up. Her eyes were like holes cut in a white sheet. "He wouldn't be able to help me. He would just be horribly embarrassed and upset. This is something I should be able to work out for myself, but the trouble is I'm not fitted to to cope with any major crises in my life. I have never had any reason to cope with anything. I have never had any sense of values. I've just enjoyed a good time all the time until this happened. I suppose it is a test for me, isn't it? But instead of a test, I feel it is a trap. I don't know if I'm capable of getting out of it. I'm ashamed of myself. I'm a person without any background, any character or any faith. Some people could cope with this because they believe in God. I haven't believed in anything except having a good time." She clenched and un-clenched her fists, then she looked up ; her fixed smile made Fenner feel bad. "Perhaps I had better see the doctor. He will give me something. Then, as you said, in a few days' time I'll be able to to face this thing." She looked away and went on as if speaking to herself. "You see how weak I am. I have to have someone to lean on. I haven't the equipment to rely on myself. It's because I have been brought up to rely on other people but it is my fault. I'm not blaming anyone but myself."

This passage puts the book into the realm of noir but I agree with Fraser that it feels tacked on. I think it retro fits an explanation why Chase doesn't give Miss Blandish a first name. She feels she never really had an identity and doesn't deserve a first name? It does add an existential noir feel to the book so there is that.

In the 1939 edition Miss Blandish says about the now dead Slim:

"No, you're wrong," she said, her voice high-pitched and hysterical. "He's not dead. He's with me now, I know he is—at first I thought I was wrong, but I know I've got him with me. I've got him inside me, he wouldn't leave me alone, ever—and he never will."

The '39 edition gives the impression that Miss Blandish is suffering from a form of Stockholm Syndrome. It is still has an existential feel but I think is more natural.

The end result is the same in both editions, Miss Blandish throws herself from the hotel window. The '39 edition add a a cynical little aside with a wealthy woman miffed that her car is being held up because of the body in the street. This is left out of '62. The indifference at the tragedy is fitting to the tone of the novel and is fitting, Poor Miss Blandish is reduced to an inconvenience.

If you have stuck with me so far, thanks. Miss Blandish is a book that I appreciate more as I re-read it. It was interesting to me to see how different the editions are and how the impact of the story changes. Remember, if you are purchasing from Amazon, use the Look Inside feature and see if Highway 54 is mentioned on page one. I know for certain that this edition from Amazon is a revised one even if the description says otherwise.

Additional Resources
1. Sidebar 1: Some Orchids for James Hadley Chase by John Fraser. This part of a larger work called Found Pages: The Remarkable Harold Ernest ("Darcy Glinto") Kelly, 1899–1969. One of Darcy Glinto's books is Lady—Don't Turn Over which borrowed heavily from No Orchids.

2. Raffles and Miss Blandish (1944), an essay by George Orwell.

3. No Orchids for Miss Blandish (1939) by James Hadley Chase.  A review on the blog Tipping My Fedora, one of my favorite crime blogs.

4. The Book You Have to Read: "No Orchids for Miss Blandish," by James Hadley Chase. A review on the blog The Rap Sheet, another of my favorite blogs.

5. No Orchids for Miss Blandish, Stark House Press. This is the text of the 1939 edition, complete and unexpurgated. This is a page link and not a title link. Scroll down and you'll see find it.

The Traitor Baru Cormorant by Seth Dickinsom

Have you ever asked yourself, “Why aren’t there any fantasy books with forensic accountant protagonists?”. Well this 2015 release will satisfy that need. As a young girl Baru is recruited to attend a school of the Imperial Republic of Falcrest (aka The Masquerade from the masks worn by its officials). If successful she will join the ranks of its civil service. Baru is a savant and distinguishes herself. But Falcrest has assimilated her homeland and killed one of her fathers for his “unhygienic” sexual relationship and she vows to bring down the republic from the inside. With her formidable math skills, she is dispatched to the province of Aurdwynn as Imperial Accountant of Aurdwynn. Aurdwynn comprises 13 duchies and culturally resembles feudal 15th/16th century Europe. She initially thinks of this posting as an insult to her abilities but soon realizes it is a step toward her goal of bringing down the Imperial Republic. If you think that auditing financial records sounds dry and boring, you’d be wrong.

Baru is a well developed and sometimes likeable character. She is unafraid to exercise her power and her methods are often brutal and with disregard for the people involved. Her single-minded aim of taking over the Republic is always foremost in her plans.

Besides accounting, this book has everything you’d want in a fantasy (for me at least): strong female protagonist, politics, power struggles, intrigue, treachery, betrayal, sacrifice, and really terrific battle scenes. The Imperial Republic’s brutal enforcement of heteronormativity is also threaded throughout the story.

Baru is playing the long game so we aren’t entirely sure she’s headed but the story is never boring or confusing. There are 2 more books in the series available which I will be reading and I think a 4th is in the works.

This is a well written, exciting story with an interesting plot and compelling characters, a couple of which you might actually like. Baru is not someone I would want to be on the wrong side of and being her friend is as dangerous as being her enemy. I still rooted for her.