I picked this up because it's the first novel of someone in the chicago bellydance/burlesque community. It hit several of my female protagonist mystery pet peeves (constant worry about weight, fixation on food, and comparing herself to other women), but I did really want to know who did it.

Read my full review HERE ( )

Read my full review HERE ( )

This review contains spoilers.

Can I first start off by saying that I've forgotten how much I love mystery thriller -- and this was just the book to get be back into the genre. 'The Tease' started off with an unsettling beginning and kept the action and suspense high for the entire novel. The story really kicks off with a termination interview our main character, Anna, has with a long-time client that overcame an abusive relationship. I found that part to very powerful and an excellent way to set the female positive tone of the story.

Pill's creepy narrative resumes with her next client -- a man who is attract to women that are cold and still -- ending the chapter with Anna asking her boss, "Is necrophilia treatable?" -- I have to admit the line prompted a little laugh from me. The author's black humor pops up every once in awhile which is a nice touch as far as I'm concerned.

I loved the dichotomy of Anna's character, a therapist as well as a burlesque dancer and how both parts were equally portrayed -- and equally interesting. You could see how each aspect of her life played a role in the story, and how believably she balanced the two lives. I also like that Anna's choices had believable consequences and that her problems weren't magically solved one way or another. Anna has very real flaws and it makes her compelling as a heroine, someone you want to root for. The story also explored several kinds of abuse in relationships and they were portrayed believably, some of which Anna was subjected to herself.

To be honest there was only a couple of things that really bothered me about the story. The first thing was, I realize that patient/client confidentiality is important -- but when so many 'clues' in a murder mystery point to a client, at what point do you include it in your report to the police? I would like to think a little sooner than Anna did.

Not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing but I didn't really get attached to any of the guy characters in the book because I was too busy convicting them all of murder! I swear every time she started getting close to a guy it was 'oh he's the murderer!', 'oooo noooo don't do it he's the murderer!!' I swear half my notes are a jumped mess of "HE'S THE MURDERER!". At one point one of my notes quoted the book and it went something like this, "killer might be here to re live the fantasy" my note: "HE'S BESIDE YOU!!!". I'm happy to report however that this book is far from predictable.

That said, there were only two things that annoyed me about this book. One that she seemed to bounce from guy to guy to guy very easily. I get that it was just dating, but it was a little annoying within the span of such a short book. That was somewhat alleviated for me personally as I was flailing calling every man in the book a murderer (read: I was having a lot of fun with this book). The second annoying thing is -- I have to wait for 2014 for the next book! I can't wait! I do want to take this time to say that the author did an excellent job making sure that this book stood well on its own. The book doesn't feel unfinished, or have that stop in mid-chapter feel. It's excellent!

Rating: 8/10 stars. (see the review policy on my blog (http://fictioholic.blogspot.ca/) for more details on star ratings) ( )

Quick read with many twists and corpses. I enjoyed the mix of psychology and inside glimpse into the burlesque's world.
It is a very feminine thriller.

The reader follows the trail of a serial killer who leaves his victims with the word "Darling" written on a body part with a crime scene usually scripted. In parallel Anna, the heroine, is a therapist waiting to see herself truely graduated who leads a double life.
On the one hand, she uses her brain to help patients. On the other, she uses her body dancing in a burlesque troupe. Through her ​​art, she externalizes her femininity and expresses herself.

When I said that this is a very feminine thriller it's because many women are at the heart of this novel. Heroin, friends, dancers, the detective leading the investigation but also, the questioning mind who decipher the murderer. This role being played by Anna as a profiler, it is with her clinical approach that we follow the investigation.
Of course, to put the spotlight on a troupe also helps to target on the curves and sensuality of women. But it is a feeling that was quite pronounced during my reading.

But that does not diminish the brutality of the murders and the sense of paranoia that install itself. The reader, as the heroin, eventually are suspecting all the characters. Moreover, the end is unexpected. Many questions remain unanswered about Anna's future when the reader close this volume, leaving with the feeling of waiting for more...

A good thriller with likeable characters.

Lucie
http://newbooksonmyselves.blogspot.fr/2013/02/the-tease-by-nikki-m-pill.html ( )