Paraplegic computer whiz Sally McLaughlin, the girlfriend of Berkeley, Calif., tarot reader Warren Ritter, is shocked to discover, in Skibbins's memorable fourth Tarot Card mystery (after 2007's The Star
), that her old friend Thérèse, a professional dominatrix, is accused of murdering a client during a session gone bad. Sally persuades Warren to put his amateur detecting skills to use and find the real killer. The dominatrix's girlfriend helps train Warren in the proper s&m etiquette in order to infiltrate the subculture, where he masquerades as “Master Ritter.” Sally's feisty teenage roommate also pitches in, and together the sleuths soon realize that the mission is more dangerous than just rough sex. Even in its less believable moments, of which there are a few, the plot rolls smoothly along. The inside view of the s&m subculture lends extra interest. (Aug.)
