Customer Reviews

Damn Straight: A Lillian Byrd Crime Story

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Best book I've read in awhile! I adore this fresh, bright character. Can't wait for the next installment of Lillian's adventures!
Sims writes in the first person perspective, but even moreso - it's as if the character Lillian is sitting right beside you, unfolding her story. And I come away as if I'm met a new friend...a friend who is smart, very witty, with a heckuva great sense of humor.
I especially enjoyed that Lillian shlepps her mandolin around with her, sharing fiddle tunes with friends. The details about this part of her life and also about her pet rabbit Todd make Lillian come alive. Great character development. Damn Straight is a fun and engaging read.

I've been reading lesbian books for a long time and this is one of the best stories in a sports milieu. The fact that Lillian is a golfer (duffer to be sure)helps pull the reader into the "Dinah". The only problem I have (as I do with many other books) is Lillian's sureness that she is in love with Genie in two days. Really! We do get a solid picture of who Genie is and what golf means to her by the end of the book. An excellent read!

Purchased this book and Ms. Sims' other book "Holy Hell" based on your "recommendations"....thank you. While I really enjoyed her first book, this book had me chuckling. I, too, have seen those "poached football" feet. Additionally, her editor and proofreader must be commended. So many books being put out today are like buying a new house and finding out that no one did the final inspection.

Lillian Byrd is back and she is as sarcastic, human, and intuitive as she was in her first book, "Holy Hell". There are several laugh out loud funny parts as well as some deliciously creepy ones. The story gets going right away and before we know it Lillian is on a plane with Todd the rabbit, heading to California to meet up with her old friend Truby (who turns out to be a fun side story) and right into the arms of a mystery. The story is filled with twists and turns, humor, and humanity. Buy this book, you will not be disappointed!

It looks like intelligence and wit might be making a come back.

I loved this book because the story is tight and the author is generous. She doesn't just give you a requisite description of the alcoholic's house, but tosses in this gem about a lush "...her feet looked like two poached footballs..." You won't find such observations in the typical page-turner (which so quickly turns dull as you realize you're only exercising your fingers and not your mind).

And how about a lead character who, in the end, prefers getting herself centered over hanging out with the rich and famous? Honor thyself instead of some poohbah, that's a fresh new idea. Too bad they won't read it in school.

The book is delightfully engrossing from the opening page. Read it and enjoy.

"Damn Straight" is the second book I've read from Elizabeth Sims, and I liked this story as much as I liked "Holy Hell"! The characters are fun, daring, crazy, tragic and hilarious. The story is set around golf and the Dinah Shore tournament, and the author includes some interesting and insightful facts about the game. I am not a fan of golf, and I've never played it, but I still got a lot of enjoyment and information from how she described the tournament and all the drama that goes into the game. The story does not hinge on your understanding of the game, however if you are a golf fan, you will probably get more out of the tension that is described as the players compete.

The horrible and tragic mystery that lies behind this story is one that I have not read before, and it unfolds with a delicate touch. It is beautifully and quietly done. The reason that I did not give this story 5 stars is because, at times, the dialog gets a little too cutesy and self-aware for my liking. But overall the story is well paced, fun and an exciting read.

I am definitely looking forward to reading more books from Elizabeth Sims!

What an enjoyable read. I'm a bit of a golfing fan, which added to the fun. In this book, I really felt as though I got to know Lillian Byrd much better. (This is the 2nd book in a series of three.) And her woman's sensibility feels much like an oasis in the middle of all the testosterone I find in some of the other books I've read. Sometimes, I even like it. And then I meet someone like Lillian, and I recognize my tribe. Highly recommend it.

Once I got past the lack of proper editing (there are a lot of misspelled and misplaced words), 'Damn Straight' doesn't have the same "gasp for breath" feeling as 'Holy Hell,' but it's a good, fast read. As in her first book, Sims manages to develop a character that everyone seems to love, or at least not hate, then kill that character off in a gruesome manner. That's what sticks with you long after you've finished reading the book. The heroine, Lillian, seems to catch a lot of lucky breaks while getting in over her head. Somehow she manages to live on a shoestring in 'Damn Straight' while living it up large, but in the end she goes back to her walk-up apartment and bunny. Sims' writing is fluid and makes you want to finish reading the entire book without putting it down. I didn't give this book 5 stars because I think it fell flat and just didn't grab me by the throat and make me think "Holy Hell!" the way 'Holy Hell' did. There really isn't a redeemable character in the story, including Lillian, who does some things she knows she shouldn't just because a celebrity takes a fancy to her. That being said, it's still a good read, although unlike other reviewers, I didn't laugh even once.

Elizabeth Sims has done it again! Another great Lillian Byrd mystery. Elizabeth Sims is funnier than Dorothy Parker, deeper than Edith Wharton, scarier than Mary Shelley, smoother than Patricia Highsmith, and nicer than Laura Ingalls Wilder. :)

I really enjoyed this book. It is funny and well-written. At times, it is also suspenseful. It would probably be even more enjoyable for someone who knows something about golf. The only annoying aspect was that some parts of the plot were a bit predictable - I felt like I was ahead of the detective in figuring out part of what was going on. Either that - or she just wasn't sharing what she was thinking.