Gimme Shelter
A Layla Virtue Mystery #2
By Libby Klein
IBSN 9781496748607
Author’s website: libbykleinbooks.com
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jeanie
Synopsis:
This whip-smart, witty series packs an emotional punch within an engaging mystery as Layla Virtue, a 30-something recovering alcoholic and former cop turned party musician, finds a sideline in solving murders from her new home in a Potomac County trailer park…
An unforgettable mystery brimming with hilarity and heart for readers of Margot Douaihy, Jane Pek, and Darynda Jones.
As the song says, you can’t always get what you want. Maybe that’s why, instead of fulfilling her youthful dream of being a rock star, Layla Fortune is living in a trailer park while playing third-rate gigs, including a stint at a ʼ70s Abba brunch. Given everything else she’s been through lately, she’s not complaining (much) about satin ruffles and go-go boots. She has a squad of supportive new BFFs, and she’s reclaimed a relationship with her famous rocker dad. His recent diagnosis has brought them even closer—sharing the trailer park’s lake house, which he’s had remodeled in typically over-the-top style.
Layla’s dad loves his new community and the feeling seems mutual. So, why is one of them blackmailing him? It’s a mystery almost as baffling as the assignment Layla receives from her former commissioner: look into the brutal murder of a mild-mannered school teacher. Archie Wilkins was bludgeoned with a candelabra, shot up with drugs, and stuffed into a church confessional. Not the kind of outcome expected for a guy reputed to be the world’s nicest.
Perhaps Archie had secrets. Perhaps everyone does, including Layla’s one-time cop colleagues. She’s been blaming herself for a deadly ambush that destroyed her career and her peace of mind, but as her new friends help Layla regain her memories, a different picture emerges, and it’s one that forces her to question so much that she’s taken as truth . . . (From Goodreads)
Review:
Gimme Shelter is a fabulous read! This fast-paced, emotionally charged mystery immediately captured and held my attention. Layla, the daughter of famous rock star Don Virtue, is a former police officer and an alcoholic in recovery. I’ve read very few mysteries in which the protagonist – and her father – are recovering alcoholics, one day at a time without alcohol or drugs. Some might think that alcoholics in recovery, or in early stages of dementia, despairing the suicide of a friend, or crushed by the responsibility of one’s team being murdered, should not be in quality mysteries. I disagree. The inherent beauty of each person becoming stronger through their circumstances is worth it. I’m here for the mystery, and characters who are becoming like family are a bonus.
Layla and her new friends in AA continue to seek answers to the tragedy that ended her almost twenty-year law enforcement career. Assigned to a special drug unit, Layla and her team spent months preparing for a major drug bust. She had almost no memory of the results. Her team was ambushed. In her unexplained absence, her fiancé, Jacob, told the team to proceed. She arrived to see her team, including Jacob, killed in an explosion. Layla left the department, demolished b guilt and shame. She moved to a small mobile home in a park that housed mostly retirees. She regularly attended AA meetings and attempted the rock career she wanted decades earlier.
Her father, recently diagnosed with dementia, came to live with her. Don, the laid-back star, was used to mansions and Hollywood parties, and the mobile home was too tiny. He bought the mobile home park for Layla, and fully remodeled the owner’s cottage as their home.
Layla found an envelope stuffed under her front door with a recent photo of her late fiancé, Jacob. Scrawled on the back was “Jacob is ALIVE”. The photo included a campaign sign for candidates who weren’t running yet at the time ambush. She contacted her nemesis at the police department, Detective Dayton Castinetto. His tech confirmed it had not been altered. He spoke with her about a case file that the commissioner wanted her to look through. A beloved private school teacher had been murdered, and they had run out of leads. Dayton wanted her to stay out of it, but her curiosity – and the commissioner’s request – propelled her forward.
Thankfully, Layla had a PTSD-trained support dog. And, for the first time since middle school, she had three treasured female friends. They insisted on befriending her when she began to go to AA meetings they often attended. They were valuable allies when investigating or when someone craved a drink.
Layla helped her friends and her father to the best of her ability. Her wry wit lightened her attitude and sometimes overcame the negative emotions spinning in her mind. Ringo, her 85-pound, loving, emotional support dog, exemplified the value of dogs trained for PTSD and other struggles of mind or emotions. At least two other adults benefited from Ringo’s skills, one being the veteran who trained him. The versatility of this author is demonstrated in emotional scenes when a friend wanted to drink again, panic when Don went missing after ignoring blackmail letters, or when describing Layla, dressed as a turkey, playing square dance music.
Layla is my favorite, and I appreciate the courage it takes for her to get up in the morning and go forward. I also enjoy Nick, her nearby neighbor, her father, and her new lady friends. The characters are defined with excellence through their behaviors and conversations.
The mysteries are always front and center with remarkable twists and turns. The ending is very satisfactory, and surprising! I highly recommend this cozy mystery and series, especially for those who appreciate an excellent cozy mystery with strong characters, drama, and people in recovery.
