"Delightful Detective Romance"

Julie Kenner has created another pair of delightful idiosyncratic lovers in her latest book, NOBODY BUT YOU. Creating fun and interesting characters is becoming a standard to be expected from Kenner. From the delightful duo in THE CAT'S FANCY to the Cover-model-God of APHRODITE'S PASSION, Kenner has delighted readers with idiosyncratic characters that are unique to the genre.

David Anderson is a private eye who is really a frustrated novelist. David is in the middle of writing a Mike Hammer- type detective novel when Jacey Wilder knocks on his door wanting to hire him. The job Jacey wants him for seems easy: to find an old boyfriend for her. It gets a little complicated when at first it seems like the guy is dead and then that he is pretending to be dead.

Jacey is an artist who is desperately trying to be an accountant. It is just that all of these pesky little problems--like being mugged, robbed, and vandalized--keep getting in the way of her showing up for the first day of work.

David and Jacey are two absolutely delightful characters, quick witted with smart mouths who indulge in dialogue that had me snickering or laughing out loud constantly. Also very enjoyable were the snippets from David's novel that opened each chapter.

David has figured out that he is not meant for a 9-to-5 job even though he gave it his best shot during his first marriage. Jacey had a vagabond childhood and is convinced that she has to give up her art for a 'real' job and a secure home; but somehow she can't stop drawing and painting even if she has tried to quit cold turkey.

The secondary characters including the 'dead' boy friend and the thug chasing him are lots of fun. David's Aunt Millie is a Mel-Gibson-loving cutie, and his lifelong best friend Finn is a wonderful hunk whom one wants to see more of--good news is that Finn is the hero of the next book.

The ending of NOBODY BUT YOU has a delightful twist and end peekers take note--don't peek at this one as the twist is lots of fun.

Kenner is one author who keeps pushing the envelope with the new and different that readers are constantly wanting and I look forward to the next book. Hopefully we will see more of David and Jacey as they are delightfully reminiscent of the sainted Nick and Nora Charles--surely they will have to help Finn solve another crime?

Reviewed by Linda Hurst
Posted January 6, 2003

Summary

Sexy P.I. David Anderson takes one look at Jacey Wilder and knows she's no femme fatale. The red-headed smart-aleck in his office couldn't be more different from the tight- skirted dames he creates in pulp fiction novels. But Jacey is a paying customer and he's encountered precious few of those lately. All he has to do is track down her old boyfriend. How hard could it be?

With her thirtieth birthday fast approaching, Jacey is determined to get her life on track. Locating Albert- a suave, normal guy who romanced her one weekend-seems like the logical first step. But when she enlists the services of P.I. Anderson, logic is suddenly in short supply: Albert's not as normal as he seemed, and Jacey's starting to wonder if the man she's really searching for isn't right under her nose...