Name: Fortune Favors the Dead
ISBN: 9780385546553

Stephen Spotswood

"A detective novel set in 1945, about two female private investigators trying to solve the locked-room murder of a society widow"--

A Novel

Fortune Favors the Dead

angie

(4.25/5)

This was... wow. I have to say I was a little hesitant to read a book about queer female characters and queer female relationships written by a man but I do have to say, I´m so happy I was proved wrong. This book is PHENOMENAL. It took me some time to get into Will´s POV since I felt like it didn´t sound... realistically female? Maybe it was a preconception tied to what I mentioned before, but I do feel like the author found Will´s voice and portrayed it in a great manner. Her inner monologues and interactions were so raw and witty, it was a true delight. 

In terms of plot, I was particularly blown away by the way the author managed to take the genre and bend it in a really fresh way. It had all the feels a good murder mystery should have, while also adding some societal critique and queer experiences that really solidified the book. The last 30 pages were INSANE, the way I had my suspicions on some of the things that ended up happening but in NO WAY could´ve I imagined WHY... outstanding. The pace in that last portion was insane too, every time I thought everything was solved, a bigger, more shocking revelation came. AND THE END!!!!! WHAT!!!!!

I loved this so much I just ordered the second book. The noir feeling especially wrapped everything up for me. Fantastic debut fiction!

New York, 1946. Lillian Pentecost is the most successful private detective in the city, but her health is failing. She hires an assistant to help with the investigative legwork. Willowjean Parker is a circus runaway. Quick-witted and street-smart, she's a jack-of-all-trades with a unique skill-set. She can pick locks blindfolded, wrestle men twice her size, and throw knives with deadly precision - all of which come in handy working for Ms P. When wealthy young widow Abigail Collins is murdered and the police are making no progress, Pentecost and Parker are hired by the family to track down the culprit. On Halloween night, there was a costume party at the Collins' mansion, where a fortune teller performed a séance which greatly disturbed Abigail. Several hours later her body was discovered bludgeoned to death in her late husband's office. Problem is, the door to the office was locked from the inside. There was no-one else in the room, and the murder weapon was beside the victim; the fortune teller's crystal ball. It looks like an impossible crime, but Pentecost and Parker know there is no such thing...

Fortune Favours the Dead

juno

a really fun and solid read! a nice murder mystery and enjoyable characters. nothing mindblowing but a good time :) the audiobook was quite nice

Steffi

debating on the rating, but for now it's a low 3. i don't think i particularly enjoyed the dialogue or setting until like halfway into it. ideally this is how crime mysteries are supposed to be, but the first half should grab your attention as much as the bits leading up to the reveal. i do have the say the second half was pretty good, and then the extra stuff at the end lost my interest again. idk it felt very long even though it's a little over 300 pages. i reaaaaallly wanted to like it. also really loved pentecost!!

Estefany 

En general, el libro me gustó mucho. La historia es un thriller ligero de época bastante interesante. Los personajes son entrañables unos más que otros por su puesto.

La historia narra las vivencias de Will como joven aprendiz de la gran reconocida detective Lillian Pentecost. Ambas se verán envuelta en la búsqueda de la verdad detrás de un asesinato dentro de una muy reconocida familia. En medio de esa faena, secretos salen a la luz, surge la ilusión de un posible amor prohibido y muchas evidencias entrecruzadas que convertirán el caso en algo muy peculiar y peligroso. 

Amé como se maneja el tema LGBT en la historia teniendo en cuenta la época en que se desarrolla todo [1945-1946]. Entonces, diré que recomiendo este libro si te gustan los casos de misterio/thriller ligeritos. Para no ser el tipo de libros que suelo leer, me lo disfruté, y en definitivas, leeré la continuación.

Fortune Favors the Dead A Novel

Reviews

Highlights