“She didn’t have a clue the effect she had on men-- she wasn’t wired that way. She didn’t realize how amazing she was, all put together, much less what to do with it all. I did, but it made me feel a little guilty just to think about it.”
Veteran of WWII, Neale Campbell’s assessment of Connie Mitchum, shortly after meeting her for the first time. He’s immediately smitten with her, as she is with him. But, there’s a problem. She’s married to Neale’s boss. Neale’s the type of guy who wouldn’t mess with another man’s wife, but when he learns of how she’s being mistreated, he knows he’s got to do something about it.
“My name on Connie’s lips sounded like angels singing in my ears. If there existed a single moment I could point to and say, ‘That was the moment I fell for her,’ that was it. From that point forward, my fate was sealed…”
As Neale puts his plan in motion to rescue Connie from her twisted husband, he meets and befriends a teenage girl with her own set of problems. This becomes a subplot in the novel, and it is a wonderful addition to an already super story. Neale’s interactions with Francine, and his actions on her behalf, is one of the best narratives I’ve ever read. That beautiful story within a story just made me smile all over.
RUNNING HOT is saturated with nostalgia, circa 1940s. The references to popular culture back then are smoothly woven into the fabric so perfectly, I felt like I was immersed in the time and setting. I was happy to see so many of my favorite things from the period. From Ted Williams and Stan Musical, to Beverly Gray, Alan Ladd in Box 13, and William Bendix in The Life of Riley. All the references were accurate to the times, and they added a lot of fun for this nostalgia buff.
If I didn’t know any better, I’d swear this gem was written during the times in which it was set.
As in all of Underwood’s work, there’s a lot going on-- much more than you would expect from a paperback novel of only 131 pages. It’s thick with atmosphere and perfect dialogue. What’s more, the reader gets a great story and a wonderful feeling when it’s done. I seldom find books that give me as much pleasure as this one did.
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