Classic noir is all about compulsion. it's all about being overcome by
emotion and passion so strong that the characters are just about
drowning in it. Passion, that is, for money, power, sedans desire. A
classic pulp novel is often about a femme fatale and characters who
are so bedazzled by her charms they can't think straight even when
they know better, even when they've been warned that she's bad to
the bone. The Lady Kills is such a story and it's a real good one. As the
reader you see where it's all going a mile away. You know there is
pretty much no stopping it because with a femme fatale like Beth no
man can resist her.

Bruno Fischer is a great writer. This story about a young
newspaperman and his publisher's headstrong gorgeous unstoppable
daughter is a terrific read. The story is filled with pulpy passion and it's
just a terrific example of the good stuff.

There's also some themes here about civic corruption and the
newspaper being the last bastion of freedom and justice against the
political machine and the thugs employed by it. Nevertheless, the
heart and soul of this book is a tortured relationship, strange coverups
and frameups, and a slow growth of a young reporter to become
someone who maybe gets his balls back.
Beth is quite scary and there's pretty much nothing she's not capable
of and nothing she can't get a man to do for her. And if you are looking
for a classic black widow femme fatale, this is the story for you. ( )

Pretty good story about an evil, manipulative woman. At first, you have a hard time seeing how Fischer is going to carry this off at book length, but he succeeds. Marred only by Fischer's habit of making his male protagonist act really really really stupid a couple of times. I won't give it away, but you will cringe when she calls him on the phone and asks her to meet him at the cabin. ( )