Sam goes to extremes--in her dress, sex life, and drug use--but she's as cheeky as a London tabloid. New readers will want to track down her previous books, in which she's on her home turf. If you liked Absolutely Fabulous, you'll love Strawberry Tattoo. And if you're looking for other independent-minded female sleuths like Henderson's Sam Jones, Sparkle Hayter's Robin Hudson, Katy Munger's Casey Jones, and Laura Lippman's Tess Monaghan, check out Tartcity.com, a Web site devoted to tart noir, a genre composed of "neofeminist women, half Philip Marlowe, half femme fatale, who make their own rules, who think it's entirely possible to save the world while wearing a drop-dead dress and stiletto heels." --Jane Adams

Book Description

Sam Jones, sculptress and reluctant sleuth, can't resist the opportunity to do Manhattan when she's invited to a group show at a New York gallery featuring young British artists. But almost as soon as she arrives one of the gallery employees is murdered, and the body count keeps rising--

She arrives a week early to hang her mobiles and meets the crew at the Bergmann LaTouche Gallery. Carol Bergmann is the owner and she is all efficiency and competence. But even her sangfroid is tested when the paintings of one of her regulars, Barbara Bilder, are vandalized in the gallery. And at the same time, one of the assistants at the gallery, Kate, with whom Sam was to work and with whom she felt an immediate connection, is found dead in the Strawberry Fields section of Central Park. She had been garroted and left dead on a bench. When the surly Don, who moves and hangs the installations is also found dead, Sam determines to find out who did it.

Complicating the scene is that early arrival of Lex, one of the yBAS, who had tried to stick his tongue down Sam's throat in a ladies room in a British pub a week before. Lex had been staying with Kate and now that she is dead is scared to go to the police and be implicated. And Lex had a one-night stand with another of the yBAS due to show at the gallery and she has turned into an obsessed stalker. Lex is very handsome but Sam is being faithful to her actor lover, Hugo. It is tough for Sam to do without her shag, but she manages with copious amounts of vodka and cocaine and other mind-altering substances.

This is a great read for Sam's views on things. She is a wild woman and lots of fun. Seeing the world from her viewpoint is a gas. I enjoyed this thoroughly and laughed aloud. The series just gets better and better.


Another Champ   October 2, 2001
Lauren has written another winner. Sam Jones, the main character, finds herself looking for clues and answers in yet another page turning mystery. Her witty style - fashion sense and humor make her one of my heroes. A quote from the novel, "..., saying a silent prayer of thanks, as so often, to the person who invented Lycra miniskirts." Here is Sam's idea on kids, "Children in any quantity give me hives." This story revolves around her first New York show. You will be trying to figure out who done it while knowing she has already got the person pegged. A must read!


Saucy and Fun   August 6, 2001
If you travel a lot for business, there are few better companions than Lauren Henderson and her Tart City sisters. They have breezed me through red eye flights and interminable seminars. Sam Jones is saucy and fun. I only wish her first two books were available here.


Lucky Me!   May 18, 2001
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

I stumbled upon this book in a 5 minute book grabfest at my local library (with 2 little ones its hard to be choosy) and struck gold! As a 30something former party girl I was secretly wishing I was Sam Jones in NYC! ..I have never written a review for a book before but HAD to let anyone considering reading this book to DO SO IMMEDIATELY and order the other ones too because you'll be wanting more!