Nice Girls Finish Last
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Sparkle Hayter has worked extensively in television and also writes and performs stand up comedy. Nice Girls Finish Last is her second novel in a series of four featuring ANN (All News Network) television reporter/producer Robin Hudson.This thirty-seven year old auburn beauty brings new meaning, character and oomph to the (largely self-depracating) current vogue for books about single, professional twenty and thirtysomething women on the dating game (which are presumably scribed by women of a similar description). The shoutline on the front cover quips; ‘knocks Bridget Jones off the scales and steals her fags’ and it would appear that even Ginger Spice could learn a thing or two about girl power from this feisty chick. For red-headed Robin is positively injected with sparkle and wit. She really is funny, clever and beautiful and she’s determined to maintain a PMA – positive mental attitude – realistically recognising that this must be the key to success. It is precisely this attitude that sets her apart from the rest of her single-mingle sisters who just love to whinge and whinge thinking everybody – and anybody – else will listen and moreover be interested and sympathetic to their imagined plights. By contrast Robin’s problems are multifarious and hyper-real. Unlike her British counterpart Bridget she doesn’t have time to smoke, let alone count the cancer-sticks. Not only does our spunky heroine have several ex-lovers, lovers and lovers-to-be to contend with, she has to suffer the daily trauma of her vile boss with a smile whilst trying to avoid her holier-than-thou, super-critical Aunt Maureen. All this, and she’s investigating a series of murders for the Special Reports Unit which are all somehow linked to the local S&M; scene. And why exactly does a guillotine keep appearing outside her front door? Armed only with a glue gun and a sarcastic bite Robin is determined to survive. Perfect summer-reading, Nice Girls Finish Last is an ideal companion for the beach or the plane; a quick, easy and hugely entertaining read. Written with humour, punch and panache Nice Girls Finish Last hosts a whole cast of tenderly drawn and quirky characters such as: Mistress Anya and her slave Charles; Louise Bryant, surely the most cossetted cat in New York; Tamayo Scheinman, a truly bizarre work colleague and a new and mysterious neighbour who Robin just can’t quite fathom. Not quite a riot but this is certainly a giggle. Reviewed by Victoria Williams
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