Naked Came the Phoenix

July 2, 2001
An all-star lineup of 13 women mystery authors has produced one madcap, murderous tale in the same serial fashion as Naked Came the Manatee
(1996). To some extent, position determines each contributor's role, but each author has ample opportunity to display her unique talents. Nevada Barr, who leads off, deserves credit for introducing heroine Caroline Blessing; her surprising mother, Hilda Finch; and several more of the zany inhabitants of Phoenix Spa, snuggled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. J.D. Robb, in the number two spot, wastes no time shifting the plot into gear with the murder of the spa's flamboyant owner, Claudia de Vries. Those who follow (Nancy Pickard, Lisa Scottoline, Perri O'Shaughnessy, J.A. Jance, Faye Kellerman, Mary Jane Clark, Marcia Talley, Anne Perry, Diana Gabaldon and Val McDermid) each get a crack at muddying the waters or putting a new spin on an already dizzy character—or in some cases, adding a new victim to the growing pile. Lucky 13 Laurie King dazzles by weaving a prettily finished quilt from the motley patches created by her comrades. Readers will relish the resulting comic soap-opera murder mystery, taking especial pleasure in watching these pros deftly recast a scene, a clue or a character to keep the story rollicking along. (Aug. 13)Forecast:Together these women command a huge fan base, and if enough of them are willing to promote, this collaborative effort could rack up strong sales.

August 1, 2001
Picture a gaggle of glamorous and formerly glamorous characters at an exclusive spa in Virginia. Two of them, pretty protagonist Caroline, wife of a freshman congressman, and her newly widowed mother, Hilda, discover the body of the spa's owner shortly after their arrival. It soon transpires that all the suspectsanorexic model, alcoholic film producer, aging rock star, etc.were invited to the spa for reasons known only to the dead owner and that all, save Caroline, have motives. With slightly exaggerated details, soap opera chapter endings, shifting focus, stereotypes, and classic situationsall a bit tongue-in-cheekthis collaborative effort by Nevada Barr, Anne Perry, Laurie King, and others provides steady diversion.

Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2001
This latest variant on the serial-novel formula established in 1969 with " Naked "Came the Stranger brings together 13 well-known female crime novelists, who offer a chapter-by-chapter version of the childhood game where one person writes the first line of the story and the next person writes the next and so on until "and they lived happily ever after." Nevada Barr leads off, introducing Caroline and her mother, Hilda, guests at the exclusive Phoenix Spa. Rest is the last thing Caroline gets after the spa's owner is found dead in one of her renowned mud baths. All the guests are at once suspects and potential victims, and the talented pool of writers, including Lisa Scottoline, Faye Kellerman, J. A. Jance, and Anne Perry, deftly develop a story that's silly yet captivating. The cast of characters, including a waiflike model and her producer, a washed-up rock star, a movie starlet, and a well-published psychic, keep this lighthearted whodunit fast paced and fun. With such a popular group of contributors, expect demand.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)