| Sticky Fingers: A Tess Camillo Mystery (An Alyson Mystery) | 
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Avg. Customer Rating:   (based on 12 reviews)
Sales Rank: 653079
Category: Book
Author: Morgan Hunt
Publisher: Alyson Books
Studio: Alyson Books
Manufacturer: Alyson Books
Label: Alyson Books
Languages: English (Original Language), English (Unknown), English (Published)
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 224
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.6
ISBN: 1593500033
Dewey Decimal Number: 813.6
EAN: 9781593500030
ASIN: 1593500033
Publication Date: May 1, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Shortly after amateur sleuth Tess Camillo discovers a rattlesnake under the bed of her San Diego home, another lesbian is killed with a snake. Police worry that they have a herpetophile serial killer on their hands. Neither Tess nor the police make much progress until a psychic contacts Tess, offering clues. With curiosity, humor and chutzpah, Tess confronts a rapist who raises rattlers, a nurse who fishes with strange bait, and a well-endowed scarecrow before she solves the case. Along the way she must face a breast cancer diagnosis and subsequent mastectomy. Breezily written, but with a rare, emotional undercurrent, this is the debut of a true new mystery star.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 7 more reviews...
 Acceptable first in a series October 12, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
Tess Camillo has a shocking start to her day. She bends down to pick up something and finds a rattle snake staring at her from under her bed. From there, Tess is drawn into the investigation of another lesbian who is murdered by snake bite and thus begins the first of the Tess Camillo mystery series. At first Tess is concerned with finding out if she has anything in common with Belle Farby that would make someone want to kill them both. Could there be a serial lesbian killer with a fondness for reptiles? After Tess receives some threats herself, the search becomes more personal. In the midst of this, Tess discovers a lump in her breast and has to deal with a mastectomy. Ironically, the murder investigation provides a distraction from her medical problems. Tess eventually learns she'll survive the cancer, but she may not be so lucky avoiding the murderer and other assorted characters she crosses paths with as she's threatened with knives, snakes and hypodermic needles.
Hunt has written a rather tame mystery with plenty of distracters. There's a psychic who keeps having "visions," a police officer who was once a girl friend, a depressed herpetologist who can't decide which sexual team she plays for, and a roommate/once lover who has decided to go hetero, but still turns Tess on. Tess has to deal with New Age philosophy, Chinese herbalists, doctors who want to argue with her and two half senile dogs that are often in the way, but provide loving companionship. All of the characters keep the reader guessing as to who the real murderer is, though the final solution is somewhat predictable. Tess doesn't display skill in detective work as much as she stumbles into clues.
Sticky Fingers is a typical first book in a series. A lot of time is spent introducing characters that will reappear and defining their relationships with the main character. The mystery doesn't seem as important as the characters and it's really just a vehicle to accomplish the real mission of the book. However, there is a mystery here and it provides an acceptable story with a few hours of diversion.
 I hate Snakes April 16, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
But I loved this book. I had heard of this book from the author and was very happy to sit down and read the entire book. It is hard to seperate Tess from Morgan but that is what makes it a great book.
I also gained more insight to breast cancer and why she did the things that she did for her recovery.
I look forward to hopefuuly a lot more Tess Camillo stories as well as anything that Morgan Hunt may wish to write about.
A Fun Romp of a Mystery! December 17, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
This first Tess Camillo mystery was delightfully quirky and was hard to put down. It was light-hearted, yet engaging with unexpected twists along the way. Morgan Hunt has an excellent turn of phrase and has well developed characters. Can't wait for the next one in the series! I highly recommend this book.
This is a terrific amateur sleuth tale December 12, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
In San Diego Tess Camillo is taken aback to find a rattlesnake in her bedroom. Animal control takes the snake away without Tess or her roommate Lana getting hurt. The police do a cursory inquiry, but conclude the incident was not deliberate.
Not long after her serpentine encounter, Tess meets Darlene Nealson in the lesbian community. They swap reptile stories, as Darlene explains that a rattler killer her lover Belle in their home. Uncomfortable with the police explanations of her incident even before Darlene's revelation, Tess makes inquires trying to find a link between her and Belle beyond just being lesbians although she has not written off hate crimes.
This is a terrific amateur sleuth tale as Tess learns first hand about snakes not in a plane but seemingly everywhere else she goes. Tess makes the tale work as she also struggles with breast cancer, but that only strengthens her resolve to find the snake trying to kill her. Readers will root for this middle aged woman who strengthens her resolve to find the snake trying to kill her. Readers will adore this middle aged "Criminitlies" woman whose noble significant other of the moment is her Welsh terrier, Raj.
Harriet Klausner
 Delightfully Offbeat October 26, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Tess Camillo is a great addition to the amateur sleuth community. She's quirky, intelligent, and vulnerable. Her wry and offbeat view of the world, not to mention a colorful background and supportive friends, serves her well as she looks for love, survives the upheaval of a mastectomy, and thwarts attempts on her life as she sticks her nose into the death of a woman murdered by a snake. Yikes!
Thanks, Morgan. I now check under my bed every night!
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