Customer Reviews

Baby Face: Baby Face

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Things are looking up for down-at-heel private eye Bubba Mabry. For once in his life he has two cases - unfortunately, he doesn't want to admit to anyone that he's working on either of them. He's not quite sure which is most embarrassing - the hunt for a stolen kewpie doll collection belonging to a City Councilwoman, or the fact that his second employer is a pimp. Sultan Sweeny's stable of girls are being targeted by a killer, and that's not good for business. However, a case is a case, and when you have a reputation as the private eye who met Elvis after his death, well, clients aren't exactly queuing up to hire you. On top of everything else, life is a constant battle with his journalist girlfriend Felicia about his insistence on living amidst the hookers, lowlifes and transients of Albuquerque's seamier side. Add to the mix a nutty selection of religious maniacs and politicians determined to clean up Central Avenue, stir well, and expect laughs.

This book is a wonderfully over the top tale of murder and mischief - with some unforgettable characters, warmth and wit. The characters and situations may seem unbelievable but, somehow, Steve Brewer manages to make it all ring true. And, despite the humour and the bizarre characters, it's also serious and touching. Bubba cares about the murder victims - prostitutes who no-one else seems to be bothered about except to use for their own purposes. His seeming lack of success and everyone else's view of his bumbling ineptness disguises the fact that he's acually pretty good at what he does. This is a humourous mystery series with an edge.

This is book 2 in the Bubba Mabry crime novels. Having read three of them, this is the lesser of them. I enjoyed Lonely Street and Witchy Woman but not this one. Set in Albequerque, Mabry is a lackluster detective that is more human than other crime novel 'heroes' however he begins to border on the pathetic with no self-esteem. Dealing with the aftermath of his Elvis is Alive book fiasco (see Lonely Street), Bubba is trying to solve the murders of some prostitutes all belonging to the same pimp (who is the one that hired Bubba). He has conflicts with the political rally of Councilman Dudley and his evanglist Rev. Jericho along with being harassed by two over testosteroned cops. It's a weak story and anticlimactic but still readable for the series.