Eye to Eye by Caroline Shaw

Eye to Eye
by Caroline Shaw
Pages: 314
Date: 2000
Publisher: Bantam Books
Series: Lenny Aaron (2nd in the series)

Review
Rating: 4.5
Read: October 19 to 21 2016

The second and last book in this series (and, apparently, by this author).

Lenny continues 1) her cat-catching work, 2) seeing that Japanese psychiatrist, 3) finding herself investigating more than cats, 4) cleaning obsessively, and 5) popping pills.

Lenny, for those who are coming to this cold (I digress to note that this series is probably better to be read in order, and this is the second book in that series), is an ex-police officer. 'Forced' out by a case that caused her to be severally scarred on her arm, and mentally fragile. It's one of the reasons she went into cat-catching work - the cats might claw her up, but they are not likely to kill her - unlike what she might find in human investigations.

She's both further along her progression to 'getting better' (whatever that might mean), and further down the path to self-destruction (see: popping pills). The 'further along' references the fact that more and more of her cases involve human investigation. And this specific book is about a case at a film school - wherein Lenny goes undercover as a film student to investigate theft and vandalism. A month before she arrives, one of the students is murdered - but she isn't there to investigate that crime (though, of course, she does look into it).

I made several status updates (I think) referencing such issues like: is Lenny a lesbian? Am I reading lesbian fiction? Partly because it had been a while since I'd read the first book in the series, and it took me a little while to regain my understanding of the character. Long and short - it's not 100% certain one way or another. Lenny appears to be closer to being asexual or demisexual ('sexual orientation in which someone feels sexual attraction only to people with whom they have an emotional bond' - reading that definition makes me think she isn't really demisexual). Why do I say this? Because Lenny has very little in the way of sexual desires (close to zero, if possible, some negative number), while at the same time - in this and in the prior book, she does indicate tiny vibrations of desire - all of which are towards other women. There are several occasions wherein in the thought process occurs, and/or she is asked point blank if she's a lesbian, but she always seems to dodge the question (while still allowing herself to realize certain vague attractions to women). So - is Lenny a lesbian? I'll let someone else decide. **(I allowed myself to indulge in this 'lesbian/asexual/not lesbian' diversion because lesbianism comes up a lot in this book - from the downstairs 'about to be married' lesbian couple, to the lesbian affair at the film school, to the negative attitudes of various people to the concept of lesbianism)**

The book is set in Melbourne Australia. Was neat to see the story unfold - and there were neat little bits here and there of Melbourne and what it means to be there (one such scene saw Lenny driving down a specific street, whereupon she thought to herself about how three streets dive in and out of Melbourne - are the major arteries - and what can be found on all three).

I liked the mystery plot - was solid. Several mysteries - some involving cats, some involving theft and vandalism at a film school, and one involving murder.

For those looking for romance - look elsewhere.

I am happy that I was able to read this series, and sad that it is already over - after two books.

I would rate this book somewhere around 4.45 stars.

October 21 2016