Not That Kind of Call Girl

A newspaper call-center supervisor helps a new employee whose life is intertwined with that of an aging celebrity in García’s novel.

As the story opens in 2016, the very pregnant 25-year-old Julia Navarro-Nilsson is interviewing 18-year-old Carmen Cooper for a call-center position at The Cascade City Chronicle, a Seattle-area newspaper. Julia is intrigued by the young woman, who listed someone named Percy Booth as her sole reference, but didn’t provide his phone number; Julia thinks his name is familiar, but she can’t immediately place it. Not long afterward, Julia goes on maternity leave, and her colleague Kelvin De la Fosse, who’s covering for her as call center supervisor, lets her know that Carmen keeps calling about the job. They decide to hire the teen, which reactivates Julia’s interest in Booth—a pursuit that Jerry, on the newspaper’s arts and entertainment beat, joins. The novel reveals that Booth, a violence-prone 1960s Hollywood star, has an unexpected connection to Carmen, as well as criminal acts in his past. As Julia and Jerry gather evidence to get the police involved, Julia also contends with the surprising arrival of her wealthy, often-critical mother; sexual harassment from her boss; and the threat of the newspaper being sold. Multiple showdowns occur that transform Julia’s and Carmen’s lives. García presents a lively, action-packed novel that features a diverse cast. Julia is particularly well-developed and given to wry observances on motherhood and other topics: “The new mother thing was not at all like what Baby’s First Year magazine depicted or what she’d read on the internet.” The mix of such humor and serious topics, including horrific crimes, can be a bit jarring at times. However, Julia is an appealing personality throughout with potential to lead further investigative adventures.

A vibrant, multidimensional story featuring a humorous and relatable protagonist.