New Orleans police detective Skip Langdon is a tall, slightly overweight but still tough and resourceful cop who readers have come to know and love ever since New Orleans Mourning won an Edgar as Best First Mystery. The first time she meets Talba Wallis, Langdon has this impression: "A young, pretty African-American woman with gorgeous hair, large of butt and bust, stuffed into black jeans and a white T-shirt." But Talba is a lot more than meets the eye; she's a gifted poet known as the Baroness de Pontalba and a computer expert who gets involved in a couple of cases on which Skip is working. In particular, the disappearance of Russell Fortier, an oil company executive and husband of a city councilwoman. Talba did some computer searching in Fortier's office for a suddenly deceased private eye, and she may have a scoop on the case. But reporter Jane Storey, back in print after an unhappy foray into television news, is also in the Fortier investigation. In fact, she's being fed facts about Fortier by a mysterious source.

In a city exploding with mystery series, Smith can still find something fresh to say, as in this comment about the cottage Talba shares with her mother: "They lived in the Ninth Ward between Desire and Piety, a metaphor she couldn't figure out how to use." Other Skip Langdon books available in paperback: The Axeman's Jazz, Crescent City Kill, House of Blues, Jazz Funeral, Kindness of Strangers, New Orleans Beat. --Dick Adler


From Publishers Weekly
The latest in Smith's series of Skip Langdon mysteries (following Crescent City Kill, 1997) gets a fresh infusion of life from a richly realized and memorable character, a young African American woman named Talba Willis, who is a poet and aspiring PI. Skip is a policewoman who had been assigned to Homicide in lushly described New Orleans, but the squad has been broken up and assigned to the city's various districts. Skip is working in a fairly upscale neighborhood when she is sent to investigate a missing persons case. Russell Fortier, an executive at United Oil Company and the husband of city councilwoman Bebe Fortier, has vanished. He may have just walked away from his marriage. Or he could have been kidnapped, even killed. Also hot on the case are Jane Storey, a reporter for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, and Talba, otherwise known as The Baroness de Pontalba. Skip, Talba and Jane are caught up in an investigation that is being choreographed by a mysterious tipster who is feeding them information. But what is the tipster's own agenda? The probe into Russell's disappearance heats up even more when Talba's employer, PI Gene Allred, is found dead. Smith crams a full cast and plenty of plot twists into her complicated story, in which the New Orleans atmosphere and Talba, with her fierce wise poetry, shine brightest. The Baroness could have her own series any time. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
A part-time private eye, an investigative journalist, and Detective Skip Langdon all express interest in the disappearance of a councilwoman's husband and the murder of the P.I. keeping tabs on him. From the author of Crescent City Kills (LJ 7/97), another spirited return to the streets of New Orleans for all collections.Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Booklist
Smith's eighth Skip Langdon novel is, like its predecessors, a solid detective yarn with engaging characters and a genuinely baffling mystery. Russell Fortier, a prominent businessman, has vanished. His wife asks Langdon, a New Orleans detective, to look into his disappearance. Later, a private detective who was investigating Fortier turns up dead, and one of his employees, a poet and freelance computer expert, wants to know how Fortier's disappearance is connected with the murder. It seems that Smith wants to confuse not only Langdon but her readers, too--and she succeeds admirably. The novel is intricately constructed, and while Smith keeps nothing important unfairly hidden from her readers, she manages to spring some nice little surprises. Readers who enjoy trying to solve the mystery before the writer reveals the solution will have a great time here. The popularity of the Skip Langdon series stands only to be increased with the appearance of this latest installment. Expect demand. David Pitt


From Kirkus Reviews
Because she wants to find and get revenge on the doctor who cruelly suggested her mother name her Urethra, computer-whiz/poet Talba Wallis (she's long since changed her name) consults seedy shamus Gene Allred. In no time at all, she's working undercover for him, gathering information on United Oil Vice-President Russell Fortier. But this second case blows up when (1) Fortier's wife, New Orleans councilwoman Bebe Fortier, reports him missing; (2) a masked intruder Talba finds in Allred's office first threatens her, then leaves her with a business card identifying himself as Det. Skip Langdon; (3) the real Skip Langdonnot even a man, but the female veteran of seven previous cases (Crescent City Kill, 1997, etc.)stops off at Allred's office and finds him dead; and (4) the masked mans business card turns out to be the same card Skip left with Bebe Fortier. As anonymous tips to Times-Picayune reporter Jane Storey threaten to shred the Fortiers' last remnants of privacy, Skip and Talba, working variously at cross-purposes, begin to tie Russ's disappearance to the fraudulent business practices of the Skinners, his slickly unethical gang of buddies at United Oil. The wealth of crimes and misdemeanorsnot to mention the bewildering range of viewpointsgive the case a Dickensian richness familiar to fans of Smith's ambitiously plotted series. Only the figure of the murderer remains hazy even after the final curtain. -- Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.


Review
"Compelling . . . A terrific read."
--Los Angeles Times

"WITTY AND CHARMING."
--San Francisco Examiner

"PLENTY OF PLOT TWISTS . . . The New Orleans atmosphere and Talba, with her fierce wise poetry, shine. . . . Richly realized and memorable."
--Publishers Weekly

"LANGDON IS A SPLENDID HEROINE."
--People


Review
"Compelling . . . A terrific read."
--Los Angeles Times

"WITTY AND CHARMING."
--San Francisco Examiner

"PLENTY OF PLOT TWISTS . . . The New Orleans atmosphere and Talba, with her fierce wise poetry, shine. . . . Richly realized and memorable."
--Publishers Weekly

"LANGDON IS A SPLENDID HEROINE."
--People


Book Description
Councilwoman Bebe Fortier has misplaced her equally prominent husband. Across town, part-time detective-poet Talba Wallis has a simple wish--to find out what Russell Fortier's disappearance has to do with her. But the private investigator who hired Talba to spy on Fortier can't help her out. He's lying in his office with a bullet in his chest. At first, Police Detective Skip Langdon thinks it's just a small case with some big names--until she senses something huge starting to unfold. Something rooted in corruption, resulting in violence--and motivated by that old demon . . . desire.



From the Publisher
Julie Smith's heroine, Skip Langdon, the New Orleans homicide detective, has been a favorite of mine for years, now. Her latest, 82 DESIRE is one of her finest. Skip, the six-foot tall, slightly overweight, messy, and very appealing heroine of the series, becomes involved in an unusual case, the more so since she's been recently transferred to what should be a far more crime-free section of New Orleans. Part of what makes Skip and her adventures so irresistible is her involvement in a family menage that includes hostile dogs, growing adolescents and their adoptive same-sex parents. I love Skip and I hope you'll soon be a member of her adoring fan club.

Tanya Thompson, Executive Assistant


From the Inside Flap
Councilwoman Bebe Fortier has misplaced her equally prominent husband. Across town, part-time detective-poet Talba Wallis has a simple wish--to find out what Russell Fortier's disappearance has to do with her. But the private investigator who hired Talba to spy on Fortier can't help her out. He's lying in his office with a bullet in his chest. At first, Police Detective Skip Langdon thinks it's just a small case with some big names--until she senses something huge starting to unfold. Something rooted in corruption, resulting in violence--and motivated by that old demon . . . desire.


From the Back Cover
"Compelling . . . A terrific read."
--Los Angeles Times"WITTY AND CHARMING."
--San Francisco Examiner"PLENTY OF PLOT TWISTS . . . The New Orleans atmosphere and Talba, with her fierce wise poetry, shine. . . . Richly realized and memorable."
--Publishers Weekly"LANGDON IS A SPLENDID HEROINE."
--People



About the Author
Julie Smith is a former reporter for the New Orleans Times-Picayune and the San Francisco Chronicle. 82 Desire is the eighth Skip Langdon book, the first of which, New Orleans Mourning, won the Edgar Award for Best Novel. Smith lives in the French Quarter with her husband.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Councilwoman Bebe Fortier has misplaced her equally prominent husband. Across town, part-time detective-poet Talba Wallis has a simple wish—to find out what Russell Fortier's disappearance has to do with her. But the private investigator who hired Talba to spy on Fortier can't help her out. He's lying in his office with a bullet in his chest. At first, Police Detective Skip Langdon thinks it's just a small case with some big names—until she senses something huge starting to unfold. Something rooted in corruption, resulting in violence—and motivated by that old demon . . . desire.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

The latest in Smith's series of Skip Langdon mysteries (following Crescent City Kill, 1997) gets a fresh infusion of life from a richly realized and memorable character, a young African American woman named Talba Willis, who is a poet and aspiring PI. Skip is a policewoman who had been assigned to Homicide in lushly described New Orleans, but the squad has been broken up and assigned to the city's various districts. Skip is working in a fairly upscale neighborhood when she is sent to investigate a missing persons case. Russell Fortier, an executive at United Oil Company and the husband of city councilwoman Bebe Fortier, has vanished. He may have just walked away from his marriage. Or he could have been kidnapped, even killed. Also hot on the case are Jane Storey, a reporter for the New Orleans Times-Picayune, and Talba, otherwise known as The Baroness de Pontalba. Skip, Talba and Jane are caught up in an investigation that is being choreographed by a mysterious tipster who is feeding them information. But what is the tipster's own agenda? The probe into Russell's disappearance heats up even more when Talba's employer, PI Gene Allred, is found dead. Smith crams a full cast and plenty of plot twists into her complicated story, in which the New Orleans atmosphere and Talba, with her fierce wise poetry, shine brightest. The Baroness could have her own series any time. (Sept.)

Library Journal

A part-time private eye, an investigative journalist, and Detective Skip Langdon all express interest in the disappearance of a councilwoman's husband and the murder of the P.I. keeping tabs on him. From the author of Crescent City Kills (LJ 7/97), another spirited return to the streets of New Orleans for all collections.

Kirkus Reviews

Because she wants to find and get revenge on the doctor who cruelly suggested her mother name her Urethra, computer-whiz/poet Talba Wallis (she's long since changed her name) consults seedy shamus Gene Allred. In no time at all, she's working undercover for him, gathering information on United Oil Vice-President Russell Fortier. But this second case blows up when (1) Fortier's wife, New Orleans councilwoman Bebe Fortier, reports him missing; (2) a masked intruder Talba finds in Allred's office first threatens her, then leaves her with a business card identifying himself as Det. Skip Langdon; (3) the real Skip Langdonþnot even a man, but the female veteran of seven previous cases (Crescent City Kill, 1997, etc.)þstops off at Allred's office and finds him dead; and (4) the masked manþs business card turns out to be the same card Skip left with Bebe Fortier. As anonymous tips to Times-Picayune reporter Jane Storey threaten to shred the Fortiers' last remnants of privacy, Skip and Talba, working variously at cross-purposes, begin to tie Russ's disappearance to the fraudulent business practices of the Skinners, his slickly unethical gang of buddies at United Oil. The wealth of crimes and misdemeanorsþnot to mention the bewildering range of viewpointsþgive the case a Dickensian richness familiar to fans of Smith's ambitiously plotted series. Only the figure of the murderer remains hazy even after the final curtain.