more LA — w/ Eve Diamond
how mixed up can things get
great L.A. — multi-cult — etc city

A new play by a rising Mexican playwright is premiering, and Eve and her lover, Silvio Aguilar, are there -- the writer is Silvio's friend from their barrio days. When the lead actress is a no-show, Eve quickly uncovers that Silvio has complicated past ties to the missing diva. But there is no time for hurt, betrayal, or suspicion -- not when there are signs of a struggle at the actress's bungalow. To make matters worse, an eager young reporter, whom Eve is mentoring, keeps insinuating herself into the case at every turn, crossing ethical lines that could bring Eve down with her. . . or get them both killed.

Savage Garden is the fourth Denise Hamilton novel to feature reporter Eve Diamond. Set in Los Angeles, it highlights its cultural diversity, bigotry, and corruption. Savage Garden is a detective novel that is focused on race relations and journalistic ethics.

Eve Diamond tells this story in the first person. In being presented that way, there is a distinct lack of depth to her character. With respect to the other principals, there is some character development but they all seem to be extreme examples of a type they represent, making it possible for the author to short cut their development.

Hamilton does a good job with the dialogue, keeping it in voice but the greater gift is in the use of the various types of slang indicative of the different cultures and subgroups of those cultures represented. ( )