Review: Babydoll by Allyson Roy

Babydoll (Saylor Oz Mystery, 2) by Allyson Roy

Mystery/Suspense

Berkley Trade (August 4, 2009)

ISBN: 978-0425225509

400 pages

Synopsis from AllysonRoy.com:

Against the backdrop of Brooklyn’s waterfront neighborhood known as DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), the height-challenged and warmhearted oddball, Brooklyn sex therapist Saylor Oz, who bore the horrendous high school nickname, The Munchkin, keeps finding herself knee deep in danger. BABYDOLL is a crime adventure filled with urban characters and wacky, over the top humor.

Three fashion models shot in the head execution style. A burned out porn actress with a grudge. A pretty boy Irish illegal who’s good with a knife. A high-powered defense attorney with a mean streak. And a young Nuyorican artist doing time at Rikers for a murder he didn’t commit.

In the last three months, three models have been found dead around New York City, each with a lock of hair missing. It would be just another tabloid headline to Saylor Oz -- except that her best friend Benita’s brother stands accused. Saylor is convinced someone is reenacting the events of an old movie called Bad, Bad Babydoll. But no one else thinks so -- not even the sexy P.I. on the case. Undeterred, Saylor and Benita must infiltrate the modeling world and put themselves in harm’s way.

Leave it to Saylor to connect the dots leading to the real killer . . . but not before she becomes the next target.

Before I received this one for review, I was well aware that it was the second in the series. So, I made sure to pick up Aphrodisiac, the previous installment, prior to reading Babydoll. As a stand-alone novel, Babydoll fares well and I found that it wasn't entirely necessary to be familiar with the series before picking it up. That said, who wants to read a series out of order? Beyond establishing the Saylor, her friends, and their world, Aphrodisiac is just an all-around enjoyable mystery and it's not to be missed.

You may find that this novel is labeled a romantic suspense novel in bookstores but I think that's misleading. While there are romantic elements found in the story, Babydoll (and it's predecessor) is more mystery than anything else. You won't find that the plot revolves around a bunch of overblown love scenes. Instead, the focus is on Saylor and her pal Benita's attempts at solving the mystery.

I love a good crime novel and I find that often my favorites are the ones where the lead character bumbles around a bit. As a sex therapist, Saylor is anything but an experienced sleuth. Yes, in this story she has one solved murder under her belt, but she and Benita are still finding themselves in hot water - often due to their own machinations.

This story is sexy, action-packed, and - thanks to the well-drawn and very entertaining characters - pretty funny too. The plot's fashion industry element adds an air of whimsy to the suspense of it all. If your a fan of Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum novels, you'll probably really enjoy this budding series. For a departure from the super-serious hard-boiled crime novels, check out Babydoll and, if you haven't already, Aphrodisiac.

Grade: B+

Read the first chapter of Babydoll

Learn more about the husband and wife team behind Babydoll