Velda Bellinghausen is a very unique character - or maybe not so unique, depending on your point of view. She's a former follies' girl turned private detective - she's a snarky woman trying to make it in a man's world - she's a noir private eye with the sensibilities of a modern woman - she's a tall, lean, not overly endowed beauty who seems to fall into situations that leave her with little to no clothing - and she's got a great sense of humor! Velda, Girl Detective is a parody of the noir murder mystery fiction that long ago captured the eyes of many a young male, with their covers showcasing scantily clad women - only in this instance, Velda is the detective, and she's the one solving the crimes (often sans clothing!).
Velda Gets Knotty (and yes, the pun IS intended) is the first prose novel I've read of this character. I have all three of her graphic novels, which were a real hoot, since they were modeled after the comics of those days long gone, even going so far as to throw in faux ad pages, featuring non-existent items that made fun of all those ads we used to see in comics back then. They had some really fun stories in them, but the stories were very short and fast paced (after all, telling three or four, or even five, stories in one graphic novel, one must keep it short, sweet, and to the point). With this novel, author Ron Miller has the opportunity to really flesh out (yes, that pun is intended, too!) the character, the supporting cast, and lead the reader on a few red herrings before finally revealing the killer.
Miller gives the readers some interesting suspects, any of whom could have committed the murders. First, there is Harry Tweedy, Velda's downstairs neighbor. Sure, he claims to be innocent. Sure, he hires Velda to prove he's not guilty. But what if he is guilty, and his hiring of Velda is nothing more than a ploy to throw everyone off the track? Second, there is Tryphena Thistlethwayte (yeah, you gotta love those names!), the elderly woman who was rejected membership in the Women's Club. She may appear elderly and weak, but looks can always be deceiving. Third, there is Delilah Spoonbill, who was one of the victims - yet, she survived by some miracle. But was it really a miracle? Or was it purposefully planned to keep everyone from suspecting her? Fourth, there's Doctor Patella. This Boris Karloff knock-off just so happens to fit the description an eyewitness gave to a man who was seen running out of the alley where the first victim was found. And wasn't it odd that the first victim died not long after he visited her at the hospital (where he insisted he must see her alone)?
All of the clues keep leading back to the Women's Club, and Velda is certain that the serial killer is somehow connected to the rejection of Thistlethwayte for membership - she just can't seem to find the final piece to complete the puzzle. And just what does that letter "I" mean and how do the knotted strings fit into it? These are some really great questions, and when Velda does put everything together, it makes for quite an exciting conclusion (one where Velda, needless to say, finds herself very scantily clad!). Even though this is a parody of sorts, the mystery is actually very well plotted and wonderfully written.
After reading this one, I definitely want to track down and get the other books Miller has written - if they are anything like this, they will be a blast to read!
RATING: 9 cold cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer out of 10 for a faux look back at the noir crime fiction of yester-year as told today!
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