#BlogTour #BookReview ‘KillerQueen’ by T.S Hunter

The Show Must Go On

It’s 1988. A mild summer after a turbulent political year for LGBT rights. While working as an assistant to a successful Theatre Director, Joe Stone finds himself unwittingly embroiled in another murder investigation.

Lexi Goode, a young, up and coming actress has her bright future cut short when she is found murdered in her exclusive top floor apartment in the posh end of Soho. Knowing that the police are as racist as they are homophobic, Joe and Russell inevitably take it on themselves to investigate what happened to the young woman.

Along the way they discover illicit liaisons, a string of admirers, a secret life that was helping to pay for the glamorous lifestyle no young actress should have been able to afford. But who would want to kill Lexi?

Finding the answer to that question puts Joe in mortal danger and a young police officer in an awkward position.

After 2 years of friendship, Russell and Joe have solved 3 murders and 1 kidnapping -no one can say moving to London was uneventful in the 1980’s-and that number looks ready to rise as ‘Killer Queen’ opens.

Understudy Lexi has had the opportunity of a lifetime, stepping into the shoes of Hattie Duval’s leading lady for one night only. This is her time in the spotlight and with play director Cameron Beattie eyeing her up for her first leading role, things should be on the up…so when she is found by Joe, murdered in her flat, whodunnit and why?

Was it the customer in her other profession struggling to take no for an answer, an aggrieved neighbour or someone else entirely?

One thing is for sure, when the police find out that Lexi moonlighted as a prostitute to get herself the finer things in life, as well as passing herself off as more successful to her parents, the police suddenly lose interest. As with their homophobic leader, Simon Skinner, at the helm, there is very much a case of ‘ you get what you deserve for living that lifestyle’.

So it’s left up to an increasingly out and confident Joe, embarking on his first relationship to bring Lexi’s killer to justice. At his side is Russell, and their base at The Red Lion with it’s familiar crew-reading the Soho Noir series is genuinely like running into old friends!

Set in 1988, I was 13 at the time and I was, like most young people, becoming increasingly aware of AIDs and HIV and the anti-gay rhetoric , it is quite shocking reading about the passing of Section 28 which was a legal act that no longer prohibited people from dicsrimination based on sexuality. The toxic nature of politics at the time had public support and the prevailing attitude was practically Neanderthal. It’s very difficult to read without shaking in anger at the prejudice people had for their lifestyle choices, like Lexi, or their inherent sexuality like Russell. Perfectly embodied in Skinner, this open toxicity is neatly encapsulated in throwaway remarks to other police officers-the difference this time is the lessening of the returning chuckle and a new P.C taking notes for backing up an offical PCA (Police Complaints Authority)investigation in Skinner’s methods.

The parallel between Joe’s coming out and growing into himself and the progress of the decade is cleverly done, this is another engaging thriller with a Christie-esque mystery to solve, whilst never forgetting the beating, socialist heart which epitomises the ‘Soho Noir’ series. I am really not looking forward to it ending with ‘Smalltown Boy’.

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Stay tuned to the bottom of the page for one of my fave tunes from the featured year of 1988!