I must have been suffering from some kind of dementia, because I found myself picking up the second Lulu Dark novel in as many weeks! But, like candy, the highly aggravating girl detective is sort of addictive, even as she makes your teeth ache. Lulu Dark and the Summer of the Fox was actually quite entertaining. Lulu had already decided that the last detective shtick was a fluke, and that her real destiny lay in… well, lying around and doing nothing. Unfortunately, her mother came to town, which threw her off her stride. Lulu’s mother, Isabelle, is an aspiring starlet… unfortunately, she’s completely random and self-centered, and makes Lulu look normal. When she disappears, at first Lulu isn’t excited. Her mother tends to be a dork like that. But then, when she shows up an awards show, and steals a statuette from somebody whoms she’s supposedly taken under her wing… well, she’s acting like the ringleader of a group of masterminds. SO not Isabelle’s style. Lulu sighingly takes to the skulking around doorways and having guns pointed at her — again. But really — you won’t guess your way out of this plot, so cheers, give it a shot, open the box of bonbons and dive in.
