Laura Di Palma Mysteries
Face Value
Face Value is the fourth Laura Di Palma mystery. USA Today called it "Absorbing… Multiple murders and delightfully complex characters help carry a plot that moves from a striptease bar to the guru's mysterious island retreat… A fine, intelligent story," and Newsday said, "Di Palma, a complex and very likeable detective, is in top form in Face Value." The followers of San Francisco quantum physicist and guru "Brother Mike" thought they were exploring their sexuality and spirituality when he guided them through videotaped group encounters. They didn't know the tapes would end up in the XXX sections of their video stores. Now one former devotee, an old friend of lawyer Laura Di Palma, has come to her new office for advice. Laura turns for help to her former partner, detective Sandy Arkelett. They haven't spoken since their falling out months ago. But as their case careens from bank offices to porn parlors to a private fantasy island, they're forced to struggle with their own relationship. When Laura discovers—and lies about—trouble in a strip club, she finds that new secrets have a way of getting old lovers killed. Find out why Kirkus Reviews praised its "hair-raising finale," and Booklist said "This latest Laura Di Palma adventure is no exception to the tight plotting, good characterizations, and page-turning suspense that have typified the earlier entries in the series and that make Matera one of the best contemporary mystery novelists… Highly recommend… Matera is too good to miss." |
Praise for Face Value:
"Absorbing… Multiple murders and delightfully complex characters help carry a plot that moves from a striptease bar to a guru's mysterious island retreat… A fine, intelligent story."
USA Today
"Di Palma, a complex and very likeable detective, is in top form in Face Value." Newsday
"This latest Laura Di Palma adventure is no exception to the tight plotting, good characterizations, and page turning suspense that have typified the earlier entries in the series and that make Matera one of the best contemporary mystery novelists. … Highly recommend… Matera is too good to miss." Booklist
"[A] hair-raising finale."
Kirkus Reviews
"[Face Value is] a stunner… Fascinating." Alfred Hitchcock Magazine
"Lia Matera is often compared with Sue Grafton and Sara Paretsky. However, Matera has her own distinctive voice. Her offbeat plots, quirky style and hard-to-pin-down characters make for a novel both unique and entertaining."
San Diego Union
"[Lia Matera is] one of today's best mystery writers."
Publishers Weekly
"Plenty of action and mystery. …Sensitive, thought-provoking and original writing."
Winston-Salem (NC) Journal
"Laura Di Palma is one of the most compelling characters in recent mystery fiction."
Baltimore Sun
"Matera is a solid writer. Her dialogue is pungent and her plotting careful."
Detroit Free Press
"The subject matter is fascinating and the writing pungent. …Matera is a sharp writer."
San Francisco Chronicle
"[The] Di Palma mysteries mirror life. Some questions are answered, but there are always more to ask."
Book Page