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Gator Aide by Jessica Speart — book cover

Gator Aide

by Jessica Speart
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Overview

STOMPING THROUGH THE SWAMP

A failed New York actress, Rachel Porter figured that any new career would be an improvement—until she became a wildlife agent and found herself stuck in the steamy Louisiana bayous, chasing poachers and fending off mosquitoes the size of Central Park pigeons.

Rachel's first major assignment for the New Orleans Fish and Wildlife Service has brought her to the infamous French Quarter, to deal with a dead alligator chained to a bathtub—not far from an equally dead stripper. But when Rachel discovers that an o. d. of ingested heroin-stuffed condoms—and not the five bullet holes in the gator's head—was the true cause of its demise, the inquisitive agent finds herself perilously caught up in both murder investigations. And with killers, cops, neo-Nazis, drag queens and crooked politicos on her case, it's take more than Big Apple sass to get Rachel out of the Big Easy. . .alive.STOMPING THROUGH THE SWAMP

A failed New York actress, Rachel Porter figured that any new career would be an improvement—until she became a wildlife agent and found herself stuck in the steamy Louisiana bayous, chasing poachers and fending off mosquitoes the size of Central Park pigeons.

Rachels first major assignment for the New Orleans Fish and Wildlife Service has brought her to the infamous French Quarter, to deal with a dead alligator chained to a bathtub—not far from an equally dead stripper. But when Rachel discovers that an o. d. of ingested heroin-stuffed condoms—and not the five bullet holes in the gators head—was the true cause of its demise, the inquisitive agent finds herself perilously caught up in both murderinvestigations. And with killers, cops, neo-Nazis, drag queens and crooked politicos on her case, its take more than Big Apple sass to get Rachel out of the Big Easy. . .alive.

Author Biography: Jessica Speart has been published in The New York Times Magazine, Omni, Travel & Leisure, Audubon, National Wildlife, Mother Jones, Wildlife Conservation, Earth Journal and any other publications. She lives in Easton, Conneticut.

About the Author, Jessica Speart

Jessica Speart

Jessica Speart writes about environmental and wildlife issues. Her writing has appeared in the New York Times Sunday Magazine, OMNI, Travel & Leisure, Audubon, National Wildlife, Mother Jones, Delta's Sky Magazine, and many other publications. Unsafe Harbor is her tenth Rachel Porter mystery. Jessica lives in Connecticut with her husband and their two dogs, Max and Tallulah.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

A disillusioned actress moves from New York to Louisiana to work as a federal Fish and Wildlife agent and finds herself hip-deep in alligators, poachers and murder in this vivid debut mystery by freelance journalist Speart, who specializes in wildlife enforcement issues. Rachel Porter is drawn into the brutal murder of a prostitute when she discovers that the woman's alligator is also dead. Although Rachel's crabby supervisor, another sexy but enigmatic police detective and the entrenched old-boy network seem determined to relegate Rachel to the sidelines, she plunges ahead with her investigationstraight into deadly peril. The writing is palpably atmospheric ("the air, heavy with humidity, broke like a giant sponge that had been squeezed"), and the brooding swamp itself becomes a memorable character. This isn't a whodunitthe identity of the killer is revealed early onbut Speart nevertheless manages to maintain both tension and action throughout. The reader can't help but root for world-weary Rachel and her damaged friends, especially her self-deprecating transvestite landlord, as they struggle to make sense of a capricious world. (Sept.)

Book Details

Published
September 1, 1997
Publisher
New York : Avon Books, c1997.
Pages
304
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780380792887

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