Sticky Fingers: A Tess Camillo Mystery (An Alyson Mystery)

"But I loved this book. I had heard of this book from the author and was very happy to sit down and read the entire book. It is hard to seperate Tess from Morgan but that is what makes it a great book.
I also gained more insight to breast cancer and why she did the things that she did for her recovery.
I look forward to hopefuuly a lot more Tess Camillo stories as well as anything that Morgan Hunt may wish to write about."
~ Written on 2008-04-16

"This first Tess Camillo mystery was delightfully quirky and was hard to put down. It was light-hearted, yet engaging with unexpected twists along the way. Morgan Hunt has an excellent turn of phrase and has well developed characters. Can't wait for the next one in the series! I highly recommend this book. "
~ Written on 2007-12-17

"In San Diego Tess Camillo is taken aback to find a rattlesnake in her bedroom. Animal control takes the snake away without Tess or her roommate Lana getting hurt. The police do a cursory inquiry, but conclude the incident was not deliberate.

Not long after her serpentine encounter, Tess meets Darlene Nealson in the lesbian community. They swap reptile stories, as Darlene explains that a rattler killer her lover Belle in their home. Uncomfortable with the police explanations of her incident even before Darlene's revelation, Tess makes inquires trying to find a link between her and Belle beyond just being lesbians although she has not written off hate crimes.

This is a terrific amateur sleuth tale as Tess learns first hand about snakes not in a plane but seemingly everywhere else she goes. Tess makes the tale work as she also struggles with breast cancer, but that only strengthens her resolve to find the snake trying to kill her. Readers will root for this middle aged woman who strengthens her resolve to find the snake trying to kill her. Readers will adore this middle aged "Criminitlies" woman whose noble significant other of the moment is her Welsh terrier, Raj.

Harriet Klausner
"
~ Written on 2007-12-12

"Tess Camillo is a great addition to the amateur sleuth community. She's quirky, intelligent, and vulnerable. Her wry and offbeat view of the world, not to mention a colorful background and supportive friends, serves her well as she looks for love, survives the upheaval of a mastectomy, and thwarts attempts on her life as she sticks her nose into the death of a woman murdered by a snake. Yikes!

Thanks, Morgan. I now check under my bed every night!
"
~ Written on 2007-10-26

""Tess Camillo never expected to be a sleuth. Then again, this wry lesbian never imagined someone would try to kill her...especially not with a snake. The police are convinced the incident at Tess's home was an accident. But when another woman is found murdered a few weeks later--with a snake as the culprit--Tess and her loopy hetro housemate try to unravel the mystery."

* * *

I get the impression there is a great deal of Morgan Hunt in Tess Camillo, that includes the same dry sense of humour, wry wit and droll observations in this easy-paced murder mystery that will have you page turning into the wee small hours. Glib, funny, heart-warming and heartbreaking, Hunt pulls the strings and has us, the reader, thoroughly absorbed in Tess's life and antics before we can say 'snake-bite'.

What captivated me most about Hunt's writing, is her wonderful way with words and ability to set, dress and paint the opening scene of every chapter and more, leave us at the end with a snappy line, that could include Jung, Oreos, Ocotillos and 'What Would Ellen Do?' bumper stickers. Amid all the humor and throw away lines (some of which had me sniggering) Hunt also brings up the serious topic of breast cancer, something she herself survived and again, writes about here, deftly navigating this frightening, life-threatening disease with compassion and a large dose of droll humor. Making Tess all the more accessible as someone we can identify with.

My only complaint about Sticky Fingers, and it's a tiny one, is that the book wasn't nearly long enough. Dang, but I wanted more, I still want more. Happily, however, I hear from the delightful Ms. Hunt herself there is more on the way. Alyson Books has picked up not one, but two more Tess Camillo titles. Which means, dear reader, more helpings of Tess, Lana and the faithful dog, Raj, to make us smile and laugh out loud, while taking us on some colorful journey to solve another of life's mysteries.

Funny, colorful, quirky and an absolutely delight to read!"
~ Written on 2007-10-15