Cloud
9 Affair is a light mystery about a missing heiress set in India. By most
standard, it is your average "cozy" mystery. It has no blood, no
graphic violence, no sex, but it does have plenty of excitement, strange
characters, giggles and guffaws.

Cloud
9 Affair by Katherine E. Kreuter is set in modern India. Paige Taylor is
looking forward to days of wine and roses with her partner in Paris, but then
duty calls. Paige is hired by wealthy Morgan Grandy to locate his daughter,
Christine, who with her companion, Monica Ward, has departed for India to find
enlightenment. Morgan believes it is time for his daughter to return the nest and
search for enlightenment not in an ashram but in a country club setting. Paige
makes no promises to return the girl to Morgan since she is an adult. She does
more or less promise to locate her, present his request, and if she wants to
return home, accompany her. Paige knows India well…too well. She looks toward
this with longing and yet trepidation. Her life as a detective began in India
with the seeking after the whereabouts of her wanderlust parents only to
discover their demise in an avalanche. After a brief inquiry into Christine’s
life, Paige travels to India where the young travelers lead her on a merry
jaunt through India. But finding Christine is only half the trouble, it seems
that at least two men are following Paige and they seems none too eager for
Paige to leave India alive.

Paige Taylor is world traveler and
private investigator. She sharp witted and wise cracking. In short, she knows
her way around the Indian transportation system and that appears to be no small
task. She is realistic and very likable. Christine and Morgan are two
rebellious young adults. They sound more apropos to the sixties flower children
than today’s money minded twenty somethings. Surrounding this trio of travelers
are a truly odd collection of “characters” and I mean characters. There are the
Rodgers, Buck & Vernetta, the Ozzie & Harriet of the Desert. May &
Herb Ward, the hippie parents of Monica, seeking early retirement in a senior
trailer park. LeRoy Faunt, the amorous drunken Texan. And the Indian taxi
drivers – each and every one defies description.

I liked Cloud 9 Affair. It is a
light fun mystery and also a lesbian romance. This fact may put some readers
off, however, I would not let that deter you from a fun read. I would label
this novel “lesbian light.” In short, it has a very “G” rating. If you are not
a lesbian, as I am not, this book might be a good book to try for a new take on
the traditional romantic mystery. If you are a lesbian, it is a fun romantic
romp, but definitely not erotica. I only introduce this discussion of sexuality
since the novel is labeled “lesbian studies.” Potential readers may bring to it
certain suppositions about it content. In this case, the supposition is in the
self-identification of the characters and not a statement about its sexual
content.

Katherine Kreuter holds a Ph.D. in
French from UCLA, loves to travel, and is currently teaching writing to
international students at the College of the Desert. There are two books
in “Paige Taylor Mystery Series" Fool Me Once (1994) and Cloud Nine Affair (1997). Her latest
novel is not related to the series and entitled The Deposition (2000). Kreuter lives in Southern California.

Cloud
9 Affair is a hilarious mystery. I still find myself chuckling at the
author often subtle as a mack truck humor. It is a fun read and a welcome
addition to the lesbian literature genre. This is one that I would not hesitate
to recommend to my heterosexual friends.

© 2002 Su Terry

Su Terry: Education:
B.A. in History from Sacred Heart University, M.L.S. in Library Science from
Southern Connecticut State College, M.R.S. in Religious Studies/Pastoral
Counseling from Fairfield University, a M.Div. in Professional Ministry from
New Brunswick Theological Seminary, a Certificate in Spirituality/Spiritual
Direction from Sacred Heart University. She is a Licensed Minister of the
United Church of Christ and an Assistant Professor in Library Science at
Dowling College, Long Island, NY. Interests in Mental Health: She is interested
in the interplay between psychology, biology, and mysticism. Her current area
of research is in the impact of hormonal fluctuation in female Christian
mystics.

Categories: Fiction