Less annoying and more funny than the previous. I think the issue is there are too many foils, generally, in this world. You cannot have all these horrifyingly annoying and disgusting men (and a woman or two). Luckily they are paced out a little better here. ( )

The title of this entry into the Vinyl Detective series is explained at the very end of the book: "Low action means the strings are close to the fretboard. ... You go from one note, from one string, to another faster because you don't have any return or release lag to worry about." I suppose this is supposed to be a metaphor for, or describe a theme in this investigation, but I felt like this one paced along about the same as the others I've read. Which isn't to say it is bad -- I actually enjoy the pace of these mysteries quite a bit. In this one, former members of an all-girl punk band are targeted by a mystery killer (and oh yeah, he's on the hunt for the recalled first pressing of their first album). Cartmel goes with the obfuscation/red herring method in his books, introducing so many characters and so many possible motives, that it makes your head spin, and you can't really focus on any one of them, then he eliminates them one by one. These are a little too edgy to call them "cozy" mysteries, though the menace level is very low, which I like. Although I have to say, I read this one almost on the heels of the previous one, and I feel like it was a bit too soon. I'm feeling a bit overdosed on VD. Which doesn't sound good, but that's what it is. I think I have one more to go, and then I don't know if there will be any more. I do enjoy them though. I recommended the series to a coworker who seems to be a bit of an audiophile. Not sure if they were a reader, but if they don't pick it up, they are missing out! ( )