Back to Salem

Alex Marcoux
Harrington Park Press
1560232242

For better and worse, Back to Salem reads like a Hollywood action suspense movie. The "better" part is that Back to Salem is fast paced and engaging reading with several plot twists that keep the reader guessing. The "worse" part that is that some of the themes are poorly presented; some plot lines are unnecessarily complicated (not to mention, a bit far fetched); and some character elements are annoying.

Jessie Mercer is an openly lesbian, best selling author and screen writer living near Los Angeles whose latest best selling book is to be made into a movie. This film interpretation is important to Jessie because this novel is different from her other books. The story practically wrote itself and for the first time she's written a novel with a lesbian as the leading character. In the novel's plot, a lesbian falls in love with a prominent actress whose husband is killed. The lesbian is framed and imprisoned for the murder. Jessie is pleased that she has been asked to help consult with the film's production.

Taylor Andrews, a popular singer, is auditioning for one of the lead roles in the movie. Taylor finds herself drawn to Jessie in a strangely intense attraction. Jessie has similar feelings and she believes she knows why. The two women become friends. Taylor will draw on that friendship after the sudden and suspicious death of her husband. Eventually Taylor surrenders to her "mystical" attraction to Jessie and the two become lovers. Meanwhile Jessie is a suspect in the death of Taylor's husband.

Annoyingly, Taylor repeatedly assures herself and others that she's not gay and isn't attracted to other women, just to Jessie. Loving Jessie is okay because Taylor comes to believe that she is her "soul mate." However unintentionally, this justification felt unnecessary and homophobic. If Taylor really isn't lesbian (or at least bi), surely she wouldn't consummate her feelings for Jessie in a sexual manner. Since she did (although the reader is only treated to oblique references and "PG rated kisses") doesn't that at least make Taylor bisexual in practice?

There are a number of interesting twists and the action moves quickly with several very dramatic revelations at the end. This reader is willing to suspend her disbelieve for a well spun story. Yet I can think of several examples of the reincarnation theme, some with lesbian characters, that have been done better --- with more plausible history and folklore, more humor, better romance, less homophobia, and more enchanting magic.-- Don't try to make all of the themes and threads make sense, because some are just too unlikely, like the Egyptian mythology and Colonial Salem connection. Some of these flaws are disappointing because they are the same ones made in Montegue's last novel. Having said that, Back to Salem is enjoyable if you think of it as a summer released action movie. It's fast paced and it makes a good book to take on vacation or read on the treadmill.

-MJ Lowe

Facades

Alex Marcoux
Haworth Press
1560232048

Sidney Marcum, founder and president of Marcum Promotions, Inc., is a personal manager for musical groups and singers. For more than a decade she has specialized in taking unknown talent and making it a success. Anastasia, the beautiful, sensual, talented singer-songwriter, is struggling with her flagging professional career while attempting to balance her personal relationship with Stephanie and a life with the closet door open.

After a series of unfortunate publicity incidents, the singer approaches Sidney for management help to reclaim her superstar status. Sidney advises Anastasia to reenter the closet and create a straight public persona or "facade" to reconnect with her straight audience. The relationship these two women develop over the next two years is an interesting and cautious one. The publicity campaign that Sidney orchestrates for Anastasia's comeback is a fascinating story alone. Marcoux uses the "facade" analogy to represent both that constructed public entertainment persona as well as the face of a closeted lesbian. However, set primarily around 1993, with flashbacks to the early 1980s, Facades is more complicated than the thematic analogy implies.

Marcoux also deals with spousal abuse (heterosexual and lesbian), sexual assault, child custody issues for previously married lesbians like Sidney, blackmail and reincarnation. In addition to the above issues, Anastasia performs in Denver during the Boycott after Amendment 2. [An Amendment to the Colorado constitution that would disallow any municipal government to grant civil rights protection based on sexual orientation, which the US Supreme Court struck down.] She uses her concert as an opportunity to question the Religious Right and A2 supporters.

If it's starting to sound as though Marcoux is juggling a lot of themes in this book, you're right. While most of the story lines are tied up at the end, the reincarnation theme is never fully developed. It is hinted at throughout the novel and yet doesn't seem to fit. In fairness, many of the themes are interconnected. Overall this is a pleasantly readable novel with characters who draw the reader into the story. As a lesbian love story, Facades is rather chaste.

The characters and the writing make Facades a novel worth reading. Marcoux does not shy away from controversial issues, in the lesbian & gay community or the majority society. Actually it is that willingness to address sensitive socio/political issues around sexism, homophobia and violence that makes this a good a novel to loan to a straight friend. Facades is the first novel from Marcoux, a Colorado resident. Hopefully there will be future novels that allow Marcoux to pay more attention to tightening her plot lines.