My take on: So Damn Lucky

Lucky O'Toole is back for another adventure in So Damn Lucky by  Deborah Coonts. There is never a dull day in her job as Head of Customer Relations at the Babylon hotel. A horde of magicians and UFO enthusiasts have descended on the hotel. Yes you read that right, UFOs!! I guess that picture on the cover should have given me a clue.

When we met up with Lucky again she is on her way to a party where famed magician Dimitri Fortunoff is the star attraction. But Lucky is distracted. All she can think of is how her relationship with her rock star boyfriend Teddie has hit the skids, and the lack of sex is starting to drive her a little mad. So mad she can't help but look twice at every attractive man, including attractive investigator Paxton Dane. A handsome french chef doesn't help matters either. Lucky wants desperately to have a life outside the hotel, but the shenanigans at the Babylon make that so difficult. Her mother Mona hasn't changed. Mona's personality is as loud as the color of her outfits. She's a retired madam and about to have another child with her longtime love, The Big Boss. It seems so odd to have a character named The Big Boss, but that's who he is to Lucky. He also happens to be her father, but that little tidbit is being kept quiet. After decades of not knowing who her father was, Lucky just isn't ready for their true relationship to be public. Lucky seems to be managing a three-ring circus in her personal and professional life.

And Dimitri Fortunoff's latest magic trick is about to consume Lucky's work and personal life.

Dimitri's attempt to replicate a trick by Houdini, leads to his death. Or does it? I found myself wondering the answer to that at every turn. He's a magician, people like him are masters of illusion. They can make large objects disappear, what will stop them from faking a death. But from the looks of it he is dead. Dimitri's body also disappears, and that is where the real fun begins. Unraveling the mystery is both funny and confusing. I say confusing because the world of magicians is a tough code to crack. No one wants to talk to Lucky or the police. If they do speak it's in code -- a complicated code. Area 51, UFOs, the magician code, and some really freaky people create an interesting mix in this book. Despite being a bit confused by the plot, I kept reading. With a mystery like this you have to keep going. You have to find out where it's going to end.

The book is also very funny. A sexually adventurous couple, a sweet old lady who wants to marry her dog, a "flashy" reporter, and Lucky's assistant Miss P provide a lot of comic relief. Despite the toughness Lucky exudes, Miss P isn't afraid to put Lucky in her place. But Lucky is no pushover either. She can be tough one minute and extremely vulnerable the next. She's the kind of person you would want on your side. Even when threatened she explores every possible lead. She doesn't give up easily. By the end there is hope that she can be as lucky in love as she is in her professional life.

Rating: Give it a try


Note: I received a copy of the book from FSB Associates  in exchange for an honest review.