Narrating the twisted tale of a backstage double murder, Gypsy Rose Lee, the queen of the striptease, provides a tantalising glimpse into the underworld of burlesque theatre in 1940s America. When one performer is found strangled with a G-string, no one is above suspicion. A host of clueless coppers face off against the theatre’s tough-talking guys and dolls, and when a second murder occurs, it’s clear that Gypsy and her cohorts will have to crack the case themselves. A dazzling and wisecracking murder mystery noir that was the basis of the 1943 film Lady of Burlesque, starring Barbara Stanwyck.

"“Burlesque is the background ... [and] the background is perfect. Recommended for the readers who feel better when their eyebrows are raised.”" - The New Yorker

"“A lurid, witty and highly competent detective story ... Rich showbusiness vocabulary and stage-door gags make her book almost a social document. The G-String Murders build up to a hair-raising climax.”" - Time magazine

"“[Lee’s] novel is a rich and lusty job, brimming over with infectious vitality and a hilarious jargon of her own.”" - Life