The Skin Beneath

Given that my reading of the mystery genre ended back in the Encyclopedia Brown days, I took a deep breath before launching into The Skin Beneath, which bills itself as lesbian mystery. I needn’t have worried— there were no over-the-top twists, clichés or predictable resolutions to be found in Nairne Holtz’s first novel. The plot is multi-layered and well-paced, the writing is smart with a literary sensibility and the characters are vivid and full. The plot of this zippy novel begins to spin the moment Sam O’Connor realizes there is a mystery to be solved—when she receives an anonymous postcard suggesting her sister Chloe’s death was murder rather than an overdose. Sam’s search for answers takes her out of her stagnant life in Toronto, where she is a perpetual student unable to commit to finishing a degree, and has a string of lovers but resists building a meaningful relationship. While unravelling Chloe’s life in Montreal, Sam’s becomes more tangled. She falls for Romy, a stripper who was Chloe’s roommate, and their relationship intensifies Sam’s quest. Not that the plot lacks intensity. Graphic sex scenes combined with gritty urban landscapes—like a Detroit tattoo parlour, grimy kitchens of Montreal restaurants and a dodgy New York City apartment—set the stage for some engaging reading. The cast of characters includes paranoid conspiracy theorists, redneck gun collectors, biker gangs and religious cults. It’s page-turning stuff. But that bombastic drama is kept in check by Sam and by the process of self-discovery that begins to replace her detective work. She gradually peels away the layers that have grown around her sister, her death and their own family cover-ups—and this journey becomes a worthwhile story in its own right. Holtz uses some lovely literary images. Skins, masks and tattooing—real and figurative—are interwoven with the concepts of swapped, hidden and altered identities. Holtz’s imagery and use of language help balance this rich, vibrant book, and may just convert those averse to mysteries.