Product Description

There is what you believe, and then there is the truth. For Lillian Byrd, a chance encounter with an old friend means that everything she thought she knew about her shattered childhood is about to be revealed as a lie. One summer day when she was 12 years old, her best friend, Duane, left for summer camp. Later that night, flames ripped through the Polka Dot, a bar owned and run by Lillian's parents. Three bodies were found in the ashes: those of her mother, her father and Trix Hawley, a bartender and Lillian's frequent babysitter. Or so she has always thought. But Duane's story reveals something shocking. After summer camp, his father moved him to Florida, telling Duane that his mother had left, and for a short time Trix Hawley lived with them. Now Duane's father has disappeared as well. Who was the third body in the ashes of the Polka Dot? Was the fire an accident or arson? Where is Trix now? And where are Duane's mother and father? Lillian and Duane set out to find the truth about their parents, a truth that has been hidden well by members of both their families. The author of the best--selling mysteries Holy Hell and Damn Straight has crafted another nerve-tingling thriller rich with characterization, humor and humanity.

Elizabeth Sims is the author of two previous Lillian Byrd crime stories, Holy Hell and Damn Straight. She lives in Port Angeles, Wash.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #191908 in Books
• Published on: 2004-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 256 pages

About the Author
Elizabeth Sims is the author of three previous Lillian Byrd crime stories, Holy Hell, Damn Straight and Lucky Stiff. She lives in Port Angeles, Wash.

Customer Reviews

Reader from Florida
Lucky Stiff is definitely the best of the Lillian Byrd series so far. The writing really snaps as the main character Lillian Byrd narrates with wit and precision. Sims digs a bit deeper into Lillian's personality and background in this one. The story is rather dark, with Lillian investigating the long-ago deaths of her parents in a bar fire. Sims does a good job making you feel the creepiness of old autopsy reports, the uneasiness of a jaunt through the aging neighborhood where she notices old scorch marks on the trees near the building that burned, and the off-kilter rationalizations of a battered wife who finally gets even. There's a subplot involving music improvisation, and another one involving the true-crime writer Minerva LeBlanc, who comes sexily back into Lillian's life to help--and to add a distressing twist. All the characters are convincing and unusual, like Lillian's childhood friend Duane, with whom she joins forces to try to solve the mystery, and a Buddha-like street musician named Blind Lonnie. Sims also does very well developing the character of Trix, the trash-talking barmaid. And as always, Todd the rabbit is charming. Oh, I almost forgot: Lillian is into reading a pulpy mystery series starring a supersleuth named Calico Jones, and her breathless accounts of Calico's adventures are hilarious. In general the humor in this book is a little more subtle than in the prior two, and perhaps more enjoyable because of it.

absolutely wonderful!
If I had to live on a desert island with only four books, they would be Easy Street, Lucky Stiff, Damn Straight, and Holy Hell. True! True! This is the first of the Lillian Byrd series that I read (yeah, yeah, I know its not in order)and I enjoyed it thoroughly! I hope Ms. Sims is going to release another one soon!

Best Lillian Byrd Crime Story Yet!
I didn't think it could get any better than Sims's Lambda Literary Award-winning DAMN STRAIGHT, but I was dead wrong. This book explores the mind and heart of Lillian through and through and provides an action-packed mystery to boot. It was especially wonderful to see the return of the intriguing Minerva LeBlanc (who first appeared in HOLY HELL). Five GIANT STARS for Sims's best page-turner to date. Keep 'em coming!