Book Review: Die a Little

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Die a Little     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Megan Abbott
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Woman Main Character   Amateur Sleuth   Noir   Historical
Simon & Schuster, Feb 2005, $23.00, 241 pp.

Schoolteacher Lora King shares a home with her brother Bill, an investigator with the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office. They are decent middle class hardworking people who are very close to each other until Alice Steele enters their lives. Bill is besotted with her and within a few months he marries her. Lora tries to like her but she feels that Alice is trying too hard to be the perfect housewife.

Seeing inconsistencies in her behavior, Lora investigates Alice’s background which leads to her to thinking her in-law is involved in something criminal. A friend Lois from Alice’s former life acts trashy as she depends on Alice to bail her out when she gets into trouble. Alice befriends the wife of Bill’s friend, who shortly thereafter commits suicide just prior to Lois being murdered. It is only when Bill is prepared to break the law to abet his wife does Lora act to put an end to Alice’s influence with the help of a very connected criminal who bears no love for Alice.

DIE A LITTLE is a dark urban 1950s Hollywood noir where even honest lawmen break the law if they can get away with it. Lora is a fascinating character who loves her brother too much to let him throw his life away on a criminal and is a bit jealous of the hold Alice has on her sibling. There are no heroes in this book, only people who do what is necessary to get their own way. Megan Abbott is a fine writer who uses the first person narrative as a way of increasing the tension and the gradual feeling of overwhelming foreboding.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner