#Dresslikealadydetective

Jailbird Detective Elvira Slate  by Helen Jacey

published 2018

Beatty continued with the practicalities. Like what to wear. ‘Nothing like that cobweb blouse you had on earlier. Don’t get me wrong, it’s pretty. But I sure as hell won’t be forgetting it anytime soon. Stick to what you’ve got on now. Bland is best. Pantsuits and low shoes that you can sneak around and get out fast in.’ She also suggested a pair of clear glass spectacles. ‘Men don’t make passes at girls who wear glasses. Don’t remember them, either. And gumshoes,’ she said. ‘By name, by nature. Keep a pair in the trunk. There could be some there already, come to think of it. Gloria’s. See if they fit. And something girlie in case you need to use your charms. You packing?’

‘What?’ Then I got it. ‘No. No gun. Should I get one?’

She thought about it, rubbing her chin. ‘Don’t like firearms, personally. Tempting fate. We’ll see how it goes.’

Well – good advice for all of us I feel. There’s an online trope of #dresslikeanarchitect – it’s not entirely serious, and shows people dressed in cool plain clothes – as it might be, black cashmere sweater, grey wool trousers, brogues. I have said before now that I am torn between that and #dresslikealadypiratedetective. My lady detective would not be dressing to fade into the background though – this picture shows my ideal, though this is a #ladyjournalist, the profession I actually took up. [Rosalind Russell outshining Cary Grant in His Girl Friday – see also this post]

A reader, Julie Rodgers, recommended this series to me, guessing correctly that it would be right up my street. It’s a modern book, but set in the 1940s: the heroine is in jail in London for murky reasons, gets out and heads straight for the USA, leaving a sticky situation behind. She gets to LA, gets involved in crimes there, and becomes a private eye. This is a fast-moving book, it never rests: there is always something dramatic happening, non-stop action of one kind or another. Elvira (that’s not her name at the beginning of the book – she chooses it for herself) has some very tricksy skills from her shady background and is willing to use them to the full. She has a hard shell, but inside is a heroine you can root for, despite everything. There is a large number of characters and a winding story, a complex plot, punctuated with dramatic events and action, very like a very good film. And – of course – fabulous 1940s clothes. So yes, I enjoyed it very much, and will look forward to reading more of the series.

The descriptions are specific and wonderful:

She was immaculate in a coral silk shirt with long sleeves and elegant cuffs, and pants of deep lavender. Her belt was a woven affair, cream with a purple and orange geometric design, and a brass clasp. She wore a chunky gold and coral bangle, and gold dangly earrings with coral baubles set in each.

…my navy suit and silky polka dot shirt, topped with a tilt hat in the latest style.

Beatty was already there, filling a corner booth. She had changed for dinner, now sporting a dark purple suit and floral silk shirt with black and beige flowers. Around her neck was a triple rope of black seed pearls, which matched her earrings. She wore a large brooch with a massive amethyst surrounded by onyx. On her wrist, a chunky bracelet with emerald-cut amethysts gleamed away. A little purple tilt hat with gold trim and black lace perched on her head. She clearly relished fashion.

Well she’s not the only one. The descriptions are SO detailed that there was no chance of finding exact pictures, so I have gone with these lovely 40s fashion pictures from the NYPL collection…

It's no surprise to find that Helen Jacey is a screenwriter, with a special interest in strong heroines, and ‘a lover of vintage and 1940s noir’.

Thanks again to Julie: great tipoff, sister (as Elvira might say).