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Freelance journalist Lillian Byrd is not happy. It is winter in Detroit, a most unpleasant winter to boot. Her neighbour's dog is threatening the well-being of her beloved pet rabbit Todd, to Lillian's extreme distress. Lillian has some money problems -- her profession is not paying enough to the extent that she has to take her mandolin busking in order to make ends meet. Then her best friend Truby, who lives in warm Los Angeles, telephones and asks Lillian to join her as she has is undergoing a personal emergency. She can't discuss it on the telephone but Lillian must travel immediately to L.A. -- and she can bring Todd -- and help solve the crisis. Lillian catches the next possible flight but is flabbergasted to learn that the 'crisis' is simply that Truby thinks she is gay. Theo and Truby have broken up and Truby decides that since no man she has ever met is up to her standards it is logical that only a woman is able to fulfil her needs. Lillian is doubtful about Truby's logic since she feels that Truby is heterosexual, but agrees to help educate her friend and otherwise assist her in her newly-chosen lifestyle. Truby tells Lillian about the Dinah Shore golf championships, a mecca for lesbian sportswomen. A friend is unable to attend but bestows her ticket and accompanying room on Truby. Thus, the novice is determined to find at least one partner in such a promising environment. The duo attends a party at Bel Air where, unexpectedly, Lillian attracts the attention of a golfing champion, Genie Maychild. The two retire to Genie's home and a pleasant romance begins. Life rarely runs smoothly and so it proves when it becomes obvious to Lillian that someone is threatening Genie and Genie is extremely frightened. As her involvement with the champion deepens, and as the stakes are raised, for Genie must win the championship, Lillian decides that the only thing she can do to help her new lover is to uncover the miscreant who is threatening Genie and bring an end to the danger. Genie is strangely reluctant to help Lillian investigate. She indicates that she thinks the threats emanate from a rival golfer but Lillian soon decides this is not possible. Lillian feels the secret must lie in Genie's past so attempts to probe into the golfer's murky history by going to her hometown of Pearl Center, Illinois. Truby, in the meantime, is attempting to solve the mystery of lesbian relationships but not having much good fortune. Lillian manages to discover a lot about Genie's past -- including a would-be female lover as well as a former male lover. Somehow she stirs up danger for both herself and Genie. She poses, unconvincingly, as a sports reporter then as a nun whilst at the same time doing as much to increase resentment and hatred as she increases her knowledge. More drama and violence are played out against the tension of the championship. Someone is intent on death, Genie's death, and Lillian is determined to frustrate the would-be murderer despite the danger to herself. Lillian is an appealing protagonist. The characters in the story are believable. As Lillian attempts to educate Truby and help her plan strategies, the straight reader is simultaneously educated in the mysteries of lesbianism. There is a lot of excitement in the tale and the story is well-narrated. DAMN STRAIGHT is Sims' second book (HOLY HELL being the first and the newly released LUCKY STIFF the third) in the Lillian Byrd series. This second title won the 2004 Lambda Award for best lesbian mystery.
Reviewed by Denise Pickles, September 2004
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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