Lost in the Garden of Eve

Keke McCoy is an Indian Springs, GA, reporter who’s investigating the deaths of teenage dancers at a local strip club as she recovers from injuries received in her previous investigation. Not one to take things easy, she’s soon back in the thick of the town’s underworld as she’s a former stripper herself and can perfectly blend in as undercover in the club where she used to work. Confusing the job is that the detective also working the case is her former—well, sometimes current—boyfriend, Drew, who’s now engaged to someone else, a woman who’s none too happy with Keke. Also not enamored of her won’t-back-down ethic are the town’s good ol’ boys who take the bodies of Keke and the other “colored gals” as their birthright. Paired with awful abuse—including that of a young woman whose mother is her pimp—and tawdry behavior by entitled locals are Bible passages about Eve that highlight her plight and pious behavior by a bigwig family who are ripe for a fall. Divine shines a bright light on social issues in still-segregated small towns and brings memorable characters to a tense, satisfying showdown. More from Keke and Drew, please!