I have only read one novel by Liza Cody, Dupe, the first book in her Anna Lee detective series. I also read one of her short stories. In both cases, I was very impressed with her writing. So when I noticed that she had published a second collection of short stories, My People And Other Crime Stories, I purchased it.
"I Am Not Fluffy" is the first story in the new collection. It is about a woman who supported her husband by working as a hostess and greeter at a restaurant for six nights a week for five years while he qualified to be a tax lawyer. All the while he was having an affair with her best friend, Alicia. Now he is making lots of money and wants a divorce, so he can marry Alicia. He sends his wife papers to sign, requesting a no contest divorce. She will get no compensation for all the time she supported him.
The heroine of this story is a prostitute. She stopped working at the restaurant and moved to working as a prostitute because she needs enough money to pay a lawyer to help her contest the divorce. So this isn't a pretty story. It is about a woman fighting back to prove that she deserves some respect and she doesn't want to be used.
This story was first published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, Vol. 142 #6, December 2013.
Martin Edwards wrote about Liza Cody's My People And Other Crime Stories at his blog, Do You Write Under Your Own Name? It is a great article.
17 comments:
This sounds like a really interesting story, Tracy, and the protagonist sounds like a very interesting character. I do like strong female characters. And I think her experience is one that will resonate with people who've been in a similar situation.
An unusual story. I read DUPE and I think another novel by her years ago. Will look for the stories.
"I am not fluffy" is certainly a great title for a short story.
I already despise the husband in this story. I hope he got his comeuppance in a satisfying ending!
Big fan of Cody, though I've read only her short fiction so far, such as "Lucky Dip"...shall seek this book and her novel(s) out.
Tracy, you're right about Martin Edwards' post about Liza Cody's My People And Other Crime Stories at his blog, It is a great article, indeed!
Not too many retiring women in Cody stories!
The well-written character at the center of this story was the best thing about it, Margot.
Patti, I have liked the two stories I have read by Liza Cody. She had one collection published by Crippen & Landru in 2003. This collection was self-published I think, but all the stories had been published in magazines or anthologies previously.
Lark, there is a story behind the title, but I did not go into that because it would tell too much about the story. It is a title that gets the reader's attention.
Kelly, the ending is both surprising and satisfying.
Todd, I was very impressed with Dupe when I read it, and I am sorry I have waited this long to return to the series. I do have several of the books on my shelves to read. I also have Lucky Dip, so I have plenty of her short stories to catch up on soon.
So the wife becomes a prostitute to get money for a lawyer to contest the divorce? Oh that is pretty bleak. Sounds like the husband deserves a good bop on the nose.
I am glad you enjoyed it, George. I did not realize that Cody had begun publishing mysteries about ten years before Edwards did.
I did read many years ago Bucket Nut by Liza Cody and I was very impressed. Never followed up but your review makes me want to and this story sounds sad.but interesting.
Susan, that situation is bleak, and hard for me to understand, but the story and the characters provide some hope. The husband is very unsympathetic but not too prominent in the story.
Kathy, I have a copy of Bucket Nut and the second book in that series, but haven't read either. I would like to read one more book in the Anna Lee series, then try Bucket Nut.
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