Genre: Mystery, Romance
LGBTQ+ Category: Lesbian
Reviewer: Maryann
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About The Book
Killers can leave scars no one else sees.
Top detective Jenna Ferrari winds up with too much on her plate as Christmas approaches when she becomes entangled in three cases. Allowing her emotions to run amuck, she concludes there’s no use trying to pursue a new relationship with Randi.
Randi senses something is very wrong with Jenna and refuses to give up on them, but she consents to engaging in an experiment to date someone else.
Crimes overlap while Jenna struggles with feelings of guilt, remorse, and inadequacy. Can she accept the fact that even a strong woman needs help, or will her world shatter from the inside out?
Follow Lieutenant Ferrari as she tracks down multiple suspects while juggling a budding relationship in book two of the Lessons in Murder series. Maybe she’ll end up with a Christmas miracle of her own, affirming hers can also be a Wonderful Life.
Content warnings for child abduction, murders, trauma, and racist elements.
Book 2 of the Lessons in Murder Series by award-winning, best-selling author Edale Lane
Continue to match wits with Detective Jenna Ferrari and the criminals she encounters while pursuing her romantic endeavours with college professor Dr. Miranda McLeod. Can a tough cop and a tender teacher create a fool-proof curriculum for a successful relationship when trauma tries to knock it off course? You don’t want to miss this vital instalment of Edale Lane’s contemporary sapphic mystery series.
The Review
Randi McLeod has high hopes for a new relationship with Detective Jenna Ferrari. They’re both about to tackle date number three. Randi’s also trying to decide how to spend Christmas, and where Jenna would fit in her plans. Even as Randi runs her ideas by her friend Jolene “Jo” Rodriguez, she never expected things to become so complicated.
For Jenna, the holidays are not even on her mind as three consecutive crimes have snowballed: a credit card skimmer that turns to murder and a kidnapped child. Even with her top-notch crime team (Ryan Bauman, Jamison, Owen and Officer Matt Murphy), Jenna blames herself for the tragic turn that one crime takes. The stress and overwhelming emotions of so much pressure at work do not lend themselves well to a date. Jenna’s lashes out, threatening the relationship she and Randi have started.
It’s Randi’s first time really connecting with another woman, and she wanted things to go well. But Jenna says just isn’t right for Randi, and she should find someone else. Jenna will use anything she can to bring even a friendship to a halt.
Randi’s hurt, but she keeps her head about her and handles Jenna’s hostility. But will it change Randi’s mind as she agrees to a double date with her friend Jo?
Captain Meyer doesn’t want to order any of the officers to meet with the department therapist, Dr. Jane Grayson, but it’s sorely needed. Jenna agrees, but still has a silent resistance to getting help. Will she and her team be able to function and solve the crimes that await them? Will she and Randi find a way to make amends and grow their relationship?
Skimming around Murder is book two in the new series “Lessons in Murder.” Lane delves into Jenna’s deep-seated emotional conflicts and anger. As her self-confidence wanes, words are said that will cause hurt, and possibly ruin her chance with Randi. And Randihas to deal with with her own thoughts and feelings, and their complicated situation. Their pets Bandit and Byron are also affected by their human companions’ turmoil.
I found myself comparing this novel and series to the many male/male law enforcement novels I’ve read. In general, Lane’s characters express emotions more deeply – there’s no insta-love or the release of tension through physical need. There also isn’t the fast paced action that male/male novels often bring.
Instead, “Lessons in Murder” is investigative and structured, with just the right amount of romance. FF and MM law enforcement books are very different from their MF counterparts, and I enjoy reading both.
Jenna’s crime team – Officer Tricia Jameson; Ethan Bauman; Det. Owen; Dr. Asita Gupta; Officer Matt Murphy; fingerprint specialist Jose Marcus and Dr. Jane Grayson – gets to show its expertise in this story. And Randi’s family is featured here too: her sister Ellen, the nieces and nephews, aunt, uncle, and cousins all get introduced, along with the famous Santa Gnome from Ireland. Lane’s cast pf new and growing characters helps to keep these first two stories interesting.
I was impressed with Skimming around Murder – it was very emotional, but it’s clear that Jenna is still holding back on some of her personal issues. There’s a great variety of crimes, and I appreciated the focus of the structured investigation process that she and her team use tp tackle them.
Up next from is book three, New Year In Murder.
The Reviewer
Hi, I’m Maryann, I started life in New York, moved to New Hampshire and in 1965 uprooted again to Sacramento, California. Once I retired I moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 2011 and just moved back to Sacramento in March of 2018. My son, his wife and step-daughter flew out to Florida and we road tripped back so they got to see sights they have never seen. New Orleans and the Grand Canyon were the highlights. Now I am back on the west coast again to stay! From a young age Ialways liked to read.
I remember going to the library and reading the “Doctor Dolittle” books by Hugh Lofting. Much later on became a big fan of the classics, Edgar Alan Poe, Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker and as time went by Agatha Christie, Ray Bradbury and Stephen Kingand many other authors.
My first M/M shifter book I read was written by Jan Irving the “Uncommon Cowboys” series from 2012. She was the first author I ever contacted and sent an email to letting her know how much I liked this series. Sometime along the way I read “Zero to the Bone”by Jane Seville, I think just about everyone has read this book!
As it stands right now I’m really into mysteries, grit, gore and “triggers” don’t bother me. But if a blurb piques my interest I will read the book.
My kindle collection eclectic and over three thousand books and my Audible collection is slowly growing. I have both the kindle and audible apps on my ipod, ipads, and MAC. So there is never an excuse not to be listening or reading.
I joined Goodreads around 2012 and started posting reviews. One day a wonderful lady, Lisa Horan of The Novel Approach, sent me an email to see if I wanted to join her review group. Joining her site was such an eye opener. I got introduce to so many new authors that write for the LGBTQ genre. Needless to say, it was heart breaking when it ended.
But I found a really great site, QRI and it’s right here in Sacramento. Last year at QSAC I actually got to meet Scott Coatsworth, Amy Lane and Jeff Adams.
