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Pucci Lewis is not your traditional woman, even for the emancipating era of World War II. She’s one of the select Women's Air Force Service Pilots (WASP), and has also been trained in espionage. Quite an achievement for a women still in her 20s. Pucci has been sent to the Willow Run airplane factory where there is suspicion that a German spy ring known to be in Detroit may have infiltrated. Important plans are being smuggled out of a very secure area. There is a tenuous connection to a known FBI agent who may or may not be a triple agent for the Germans. Confusing? Well, it is war. The possible agent is Countess Grace Buchanan-Dineen, who has been making quite a splash on the Detroit social scene. She’s been in demand as a speaker on a variety of topics, and made friends with some high-society folks. Now that she’s in jail, most of those friends aren’t there for her any more. Pucci doesn’t succeed in gaining Grace’s trust, but is more successful with Kiki Barclay-Bly and her sister Deidre. Kiki’s husband Anastase Andreyevich Volodymry Vivikovsky (known as V-V, thank God) is from the Balkans or maybe Russia and may or may not be on the side of the angels. The hairdresser at the Cosmos Club, where Pucci meets the Barclay-Blys, is married to the man sneaking plans out of the factory. The manicurist is Liberty Leach, masquerading as Glossy Fingers. She’s an agent for the army, a fact seemingly not known to the FBI. Is it the usual inter-agency rivalry, or something more sinister? Liesche gives us a very likeable character in Pucci Lewis. She’s not afraid of much, willing to take risks in the interest of her country, and perhaps a little more naive than one might expect in a counter-espionage agent. She’s attracted to Dante Cavaradossi, and the feeling seems to be mutual, although he’s got a reputation as a ladies' man. She is ambitious, can think on her feet – both qualities that will serve her well in the future. Liesche has written an enthralling mystery about a portion of the war effort that has been largely forgotten. The social mores during wartime are in a state of flux; Liesche captures the language and dress styles beautifully without distracting the reader from the story. The plot is full of twists and surprises. For those readers familiar with Detroit, this is a delightful look at the way things used to be. One hopes this is the start of a series, as Pucci Lewis has many options open to her after LIPSTICK AND LIES.
Reviewed by P. J. Coldren, April 2007
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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