With Allie Lindell, a journalist working in Ohio, Allred seems to return to a similar character as in her first book 'White Trash'. That book was set in Texas however, and Allie, while a mother, has a life partner who's another lady, Rae Ann. In ROADKILL Allie has spent five years writing the obituaries for the paper, and by now knows the patterns of death in her community. Now she's the stay-home part of the relationship, with two small kids.

Michelle, Allie's sister, is an officer in the Columbus K9 unit, working with a Doberman and naturally protective of the good name of the force. She doesn't want to talk about a former cop's death at home. The man had been accused of molesting a minor, but charges were dropped, it was nothing, she insists. Allie isn't so sure. She rings a journalist friend, and gets some part-time work helping to track the deaths of young women dumped on roadsides instead. The women came from several states and were probably prostitutes. A truck driver is suspected. Allie somehow finds herself looking into both cases, and according to a neighbour of the dead cop, the man was no saint. She wonders if there could be a connection between his wild parties and the road deaths....

The trials of raising a two-year-old and a baby are drolly recounted, from cartoon videos to playing with dogs. I don't know how anyone has the energy to do all this and still be a freelancer, but Allie manages to fit work in at nap time. Kipper, the Doberman, has such a demanding job that he becomes stressed and needs extra care, making him another larger than life but very real character. I don't suppose all reporters tell as many lies as Allie does to get information, or that everyone is so eager to badmouth others over the phone to people they don't know. It makes for a fast-moving story though, like a Sue Grafton PI with a crèche in tow.

I would have liked to meet even one clean-living decent male character, but they don't seem to be in the majority in this town. In fact I found too many female names, occasionally causing confusion. Our intrepid reporter annoys her partner for leaving the babies with sitters, putting herself at risk and so on, yet right to the last it doesn't sink in with her that what she sees as staking her claim on freedom and earning power could get her killed.

Alexandra Allred is once more pointing out society's attitude to women, and women's expectations of women, as she did in 'Damaged Goods', her story of a town which was an environmental disaster. This carefully worked crime story ROADKILL conveys several messages and besides appealing to crime fans, could provide excellent discussion material for book clubs.