Sapphic in the Shadows, Episode 1: The First Case

A 1920's New York Mystery

By: Leanna Headley, Alex B Porter

Narrated by: Leia Greenbush

As the new secretary to a private investigation firm, Ella Quick expects to spend her days making coffee and filing paperwork, so it’s a pleasant surprise when her boss, Josie Desroches, takes her on assignments that not only open her eyes to the world but also teach her a thing or two about herself.

A sapphic historical mystery series.

Set in New York City in the Roaring Twenties during a period of social revolution for women everywhere, bringing about significant change from fashion to suffrage to sexual expression, Sapphic in the Shadows follows Ella’s adventures as she and her feisty boss solve mysteries, get entangled with drugs, prostitutes, and the mafia, and encounter the biggest, most ingenious crime organization the city has ever known.

Does it complicate things that Ella seems to be having romantic feelings for her boss? Certainly. Will it confuse matters further when Ella discovers her boss is a lesbian? A flirtatious and outlandish lesbian who regularly uses sex to get what she wants? Definitely.

Has Ella bit off more than she can chew by taking this job, or would she have been better off staying at home, hoping to snag a rich husband?

Sapphic in the Shadows - 20 bite-sized episodes of 1920s private investigator mystery.

©2018 Alex B Porter (P)2018 Alex B Porter

Great fun characters.

I love the 1920's cuz my grandparents were in their 20s and falling in love then. Looking forward to more.

tease.

great teaser! now I need to buy the complete series! I wish it was on audible escapes.

Sapphic detective

It’s a good story with lots of potential, but the narrative was a little stilted.

wonderful

she kept me on my feet from beginning to end look forward to part 2

Fantastic

I was quickly drawn into the story and loved the time period. Hoping for more investigation as it goes on but this was a solid intro story. The narrator did a good job with all the characters and brought the world to life. I was given a free copy of this audio in return for an unbiased review.

A modern OTR

I loved it. When I first listened to it I didn’t know it was a story with lesbians. Not that that bothered me I just didn’t know. I had read a previous review who said because it was written about the 1920s that it felt dated. I was flabbergasted. Does this reviewer not know history or historical fiction or anything to do with something that happened before yesterday. This doesn’t feel David at all. The old time radio shows I listen to didn’t have lesbians in it. So that’s new! Anyway onto my review I loved it, I loved it and I loved it! I was happily surprised I just wish they would’ve had more investigation, but I’m hoping this was just to introduce Josie Ella and Matthew as the main characters. If not I’ll still listen I just don’t know what it will consist of so I’m sure my guess is right… I hope! I can’t wait to read the next one and the next one and then the next one. I am so excited for this Siri’s! Old time radio is a talent that has gone bye and bye and I’m glad this author is bringing it back in a new way. So as far as my opinion goes bring them on.

A Taming of the Slew

This was not really totally bad for the first story. It does need some attention and maybe some tweaking in the future if this genre is going to be pursued by the author. It was rather mild and the narrator was far too amateurish in her narration to bring much excitement, which would have perhaps spiced this one up and made it remotely engaging. It is set in the 20s and therefore makes it dated, but it could be so improved by a more experienced narrator. It was the first, it was short. It offered a teaser of the next installment and yet it was rather lackluster in this particular story, which was in no way titillating and a narrator who nearly put me to sleep. The narrator lacked inflections, variations of intonation and seemed as bored to narrate as she made the listener. Glad I did not spend a lot on this first attempt, the only thing enjoyed was perhaps the title, the graphic design and it was not painfully long. For this to be a mystery, including a lesbian element, set in the roaring 20s, this was far too tame!