Lesbian fiction by lesbian authors don’t usually contain a protagonist (Josie) who’s partner is a man, and who at 53, still holds a flame for her one true love – her 90 year old ex-father in law with whom she had an affair 30 years ago…

Lesbian fiction by lesbian authors don’t usually contain a protagonist (Josie) who’s partner is a man, and who at 53, still holds a flame for her one true love – her 90 year old ex-father in law with whom she had an affair 30 years ago…

So maybe there’s a lesbian antagonist?  No…

Or our formerly cocaine addicted diva opera singer on the comeback trail falls for Glorietta, the one woman who stands between her and her dream role of Puccini’s Tosca?  No…

Or perhaps she finds love in the arms of the one and only other female character in the novel – the mean spirited and newly widowed wife of Josie’s ex-husband who comes after Josie for the family treasure the ex-husband has blackmailed Josie into holding onto.  No, not her either…

I kept waiting for the lesbian storyline to materialise… and it just didn’t.

So I took to Google to see what I could find out about the author, Janet Pywell.  Pywell is a former travel agent who briefly incorporates some of her travel knowledge in leading Josie from her home in Italy, to her ex-father in law’s funeral in Ireland, to Germany to uncover the ‘family heirloom’ at the behest of her scheming ex-husband who soon turns up dead.

I also discovered that she is blogging a lesbian novella one chapter at a time in which lead character, Elly Bravo is “shy, rides a Harley and has a tattoo that says; Not All Who Wander Are Lost”.  If you were looking for a fun read with a lesbian protagonist, then maybe that would be more up your alley.  Google it – it captures what it’s like to be young, single and looking for love… regardless of gender or sexuality.

But The Golden Icon?  I didn’t like it, although reviews on amazon.com suggest other people did.  The writing and use of language lacked sophistication and was so repetitive I thought I would scream with frustration at times; the protagonist was self-indulgent and dislikeable; the build up of suspense was anything but; the ‘whodunnit’ was way too obvious and the way that the plot was set up to lead into a “Book II” was cringeworthy.

But give Elly Bravo a shot – a much more enjoyable read.