September 1, 2009
Mississippi native McNair recounts her lengthy string of adventures traveling the world before she finally settles downmore or lessand decides to find work as a private investigator in New York. It's difficult for an attractive young woman to break into a business traditionally reserved for burly male ex-cops, but she perseveres, eventually finding a couple of firms willing to give her a chance. She tolerates a lot from her coworkers, including lewd jokes and remarks that border on sexual harassment, but she enjoys the work and sticks with it. VERDICT While McNair's stories may be interesting enough to give her good conversation over cocktails, they aren't really material for a 350-plus-page memoir. Her writing is not strong; her making much ado over a slight story doesn't lend credibility, nor do her occasional random lists of adventures ("nearly getting sold to a tribal chieftain in Afghanistan..., nearly getting married to a king in Ghana, eating caviar in Tehran with that witty gunrunner]"). Ultimately, McNair fails to find the voice that would have captivated readers of police procedurals and private-eye novels. An optional purchase.Daisy Porter, San Jos P.L., CA
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