Books: Baby, Would I Lie? By Donald E. Westlake (1994)

“Having endured the seedy world of tabloid journalism at the Weekly Galaxy, ambitious reporter Sara Joslyn has finally moved on to Trend, a hip New York magazine. But news is news, and Sara is immediately sent to Branson, Missouri, the capital of wholesome entertainment, to cover a sensational celebrity trial. Embattled country music legend Ray Jones is accused of a brutal kidnapping and killing. Making—and mucking—matters worse, Sara’s sleazy former colleagues from the Weekly Galaxy have also infested the town. Sara is surprised by how much she enjoys a bit of pure, proud Americana—as well as the ruggedly smooth Ray Jones. But when he’s suspected of a second homicide, Sara realizes there’s more to the story. And that someone decidedly unwholesome is getting away with murder in the heartland.”

Apparently, this is a sequel Trust Me on This, a previous Westlake novel I’ve yet to get to (but have), which sort of explains a lot. All through the book, I felt I was missing something, but could not figure out what it was. Pulling information on my review, I discovered why.

Westlake takes a break from his beloved New York and moves down to Branson, Missouri, for this reasonably good whodunit about a famous musician being tried for murder and the machinations that journalists (both good and bad) get up to.

By setting the story in the south, you still get occasional doses Westlake’s patented metaphors and some goofy twists. Of course, setting it in Branson, allows Westlake to mock everything about the place, but like any northern writer taking on the south’s weirdness, it sometimes comes across as mean-spirited. The characters are all pretty horrible, which is another trademark of the writer, but there is a bit of overused put-downs of fat people and fried food.

It has a clever twist at the ending, which does show not everyone is an idiot. And the fact that everything is laid out throughout the book and I still surprised at the long con, shows you what Westlake was always brilliant at –keep them guessing.