This was one British barrister who was not at all what I expected~~lol~~maybe I watch too much BBC. I did learn a fair amount about how their very different system works, though at times, I found it confusing.

from back cover:
Frankie Richmond knows trouble. A London barrister whose career is teetering on the brink of ruin and whose search for the right woman is about as successful as the quest for a perfect pair of jeans, "Trouble" could be Frankie's middle name. But when she agrees to a routine appearance at a magistrate's court as a favor for a friend and former lover, she never expects the kind of trouble that finds her accused of murder. Or the kind of trouble that wears a sexy red sheath and croons the torch songs Frankie can't resist. What to do first? Figure out who may have framed her for a murder she didn't commit, or lose herself in the smoky voice--and silky arms--of the lounge singer as mysterious as Frankie's predicament? Solving the case herself is a challenge Frankie is willing to tackle head-on, especially since the police are only too happy to pin the crime on a working-class lesbian barrister. But each time Frankie gets close to clearing her name, she gets even closer to some unpleasant truths about the people she thought she knew--and the one woman she wanted to get to know much better..

Sending off in the LBGTQ bookbox to find it's next home~

This book rode to the end of the bookbox.

This was an entertaining story. Is it possible to call a book a cozy thriller, the rare cousin of a cozy mystery? That was kind of the feeling I got from this one! Sure people die, and our main character is sleuthing, but it lacks the sense of fierce tension and speedy plotting of your typical thriller, focusing on a lot of domestic scenes and interpersonal drama spiraling into crime. The mystery is not all that mysterious, and we figure out who most of the key players were quite quickly. The issue becomes our heroine trying to find a way to prove their guilt! The writing is clever and funny, with a fun batch of characters.

Adding to the LGBTQ+ Mini-Bookbox

I'm claiming this from the LGBTQ+ Mini-Bookbox; sounds like fun!

Definitely an entertaining read, though I admit I got frustrated with Frankie's tendency to forget things (her phone, her keys, significant plot points {wry grin}). Sure, it added humor, and in some cases made sense - she did seem to have a LOT of interrupts, whether job-related or from her social circle - but it's one of those character traits that I find irksome.

That said, I loved the often-snarky dialogue, Frankie's group of friends - which tended to expand as old relationships ended and new ones began - and the details of British law-practice. And, yes, the romantic ups and downs, though when Margo first showed up all I could think was "there should be a maxim in detective fiction: never, ever fall for a torch singer"!

I appreciated some of the little bits, such as the way Frankie handled her male co-workers - especially the one who kept insisting that she "give men another try" and offered to help her out in that regard. Tempting as it would be to deck him and stalk away, she opted to roll her eyes and tell him to cut it out. (She did tell him that if the wine wasn't so expensive she'd have dumped the glass on his head, so there's that - I wouldn't have wasted the wine either!)

Among the small details that appealed to me: the bit about the care and handling of the fancy collar and wig that barristers wear - all the time in TV shows, but in real life it seems they only have to put on the full regalia for cases where the public is allowed into the courtroom. Here's Frankie, our tough and busy heroine, rinsing her collarette in the sink... nice touch.

By the end of the book, the changes and revelations re various relationships seem to have taken over the story, with the actual mystery tagging along. I wasn't all that surprised about the Margo-and-Sashya reveal, and was vastly amused by the one from Frankie's mom; and Lena's up-and-down love-life seemed to be on a high note as the story wrapped up. And I adored the way all this came together in the climactic confrontation scene - even though that scene itself was set up after Frankie muses about the really stupid thing she was planning on doing. The only drawbacks for me were the "karma houdini" criminal who, it seems, might escape consequences entirely, and... that romance with Margo. Do NOT fall for the torch singer; it never ends well!

[For more cozy-mysteries-involving-barristers, check out Sarah Caudwell's "Hilary Tamar" series, which starts with Thus Was Adonis Murdered.]

I left this book, bagged against the elements, on a bench on the esplanade; hope the finder enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in MA here.]

*** Released for the 2018 Keep Them Moving release challenge. ***

*** Released for the 2018 Mothers Day release challenge. ***