Dust bunnies, yes; rattlesnakes, no. So thinks amateur sleuth and lesbian Tess Camillo when, on an ordinary Saturday in San Diego, she discovers a snake under her bed. She is convinced it was put there deliberately and says as much to the police, who refuse to take her seriously.

Weeks later, the body of another lesbian, Belle Farby, is found on the UCSD campus Snake Path, dead of snake bite and with a rattlesnake’s rattle in her pocket. The crime scene is rife with unusual circumstances and odd items, including buttons and hair sprinkled on the victim’s tee shirt.

Because of the rattler in her house, Tess is interviewed by police and becomes embroiled in their investigation. In the meantime, she must wage battle with an aggressive breast cancer and make peace with a modified body image.

This title was nominated for several awards, including:

1. Finalist, 2008 Reader Views Reviewers Choice Literary Award, GLBT category

2. Nominated for Lambda Literary Award in Women’s Mystery category

3. Nominated for Golden Crown Literary Award, Lesbian Mystery