Patricia Smiley's new novel is
Short Change.
She applied the "
page 69 test" to the book
and reported the following:
This page is a turning point in the novel. It is the moment at which my heroine, Tucker Sinclair, enters the crucible with Charley Tate, a decision that binds them inextricably together for a wild ride from the beach community of Playa del Rey to the horse country of northeast Los Angeles county to uncover a tangled conspiracy of deceit and murder. The anatomy of Tucker’s character is laid bare in this scene. She is a reluctant sleuth, but she also prides herself on being a one-stop-shop for her consulting clients’ needs — business doctor, hand-holder, and friend. The scene provides insight into Tucker’s bond with Charley Tate the ex-cop turned private investigator. The relationship begins as business but morphs into something more than that as the story progresses. As for Charley, he doesn’t envision Tucker’s assignment as dangerous, only crucial to the case he is working on. The fact that he has asked her to help him, illustrates his growing respect for her, his faith in her ability to detect a lie. The page ends with a dramatic question, a hook. Can Tucker juggle her already full schedule to accommodate Charley’s request? She opines: “That was beginning to feel like an insurmountable problem until I remembered Eugene.”
Who is Eugene?
Visit
Patricia Smiley's website to learn more about
Short Change.
Check out
the complete list of books in the Page 69 Test Series.
--Marshal Zeringue
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