Even After Ten Years This Novel Stands Up

It was August 2010 when I first read BITE CLUB, and I loved it! It is now 2020, and I thought it was about time to revisit West Hollywood with the novel that started it all. This time, rather than reading, I listened to the audiobook. Listening in 2020 is significant; listening in October 2020 made it eye-opening.

On the surface, BITE CLUB is still a cozy mystery, yet there is an undercurrent that has new bite today.
One does not usually think of a murder mystery as a fun book, but BITE CLUB will surely change your mind. Hal Bodner has a way with a story that will suck you into the action then deliver a right cross to your funny bone. Oh yes, and get your mind out of the gutter. This is not gay pornography; it is a character driven tale that provides very human insight into alternate lifestyles, including those of some alternate species.

WeHo has a serial killer. The bodies are piling up. The mayor is a straddle-the-fence, please everybody politician. The city manager is the other side of 60, opinionated, foul-mouthed, and with the fashion sense of a blind drag queen. The chief of police works at not pissing off the city manager. The coroner eats junk food with one hand while examining the dead body with the other. Can you see where this is going? What about the bite? That would be telling.

Overall, the narration is pretty good. I was a bit nonplussed by Kitty Hendrix’s pronunciation of some simple words… “wanely” for “wanly” – “r-sing” for “arcing” – “esque” for “eschew”. There were several others. I also found that her character voices didn’t match the voices I’ve had in my head for the past ten years. She is a pleasant enough reader, but I feel that there are surely others that could have done a better job.

Here is a tale that will keep you listening well into the night to see who is going to come out on top. It’s not quite a roller coaster, but you may find yourself biting your nails, then welling up with emotion, and last, but not least, laughing out loud at the antics of this diverse cast of characters.

Listen and enjoy!