Scandals

Campbell’s gritty tale of tough strippers succeeds as storytelling, but can’t decide whether it means to titillate or moralize. Monica Houston, a divorcée with young daughters and no resources, reluctantly starts dancing at Scandalous, but any enjoyment of the work is ruined by her ex-husband’s business partner blackmailing her and her need to keep her job secret from her sweet new boyfriend. When top dancer Robin ends up responsible for her sister’s four-year-old grandson and involved with her nephew’s charming mentor, Trey, Robin and Monica bond over kids’ outings. Romance and suspense plots collide when Robin alienates Trey by pursuing her stalker ex-boyfriend, hoping to find evidence that he is framing Robin’s estranged sister for murder. While challenging the reader to think of strippers as people, Campbell (Suspicions) shows no sympathy for sex work being anything but a dead end choice, emphasizing mainstream jobs and monogamy as the only routes to happiness. (Apr.)