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.

This autobiography follows Gypsy Rose Lee from her childhood in vaudeville to her career as the queen of burlesque.

"Pure ozone to those tired of ordinary oxygen."--"The New Yorker"

"One of the greatest mysteries ever written."--"The Philadelphia Daily News"

"Our most famous burlesque queen may raise the temperature with a strip tease, but she chills the blood when she goes into her detective routine."--"The Boston Post"

In this steamy sequel to "The G-String Murders," Gypsy Rose Lee's noir thriller reads as if it's ripped from her own diary pages. When her mother finds a dead body in Gypsy's trailer during her honeymoon, Gypsy realizes that no one is who they seem to be, and everyone is worthy of suspicion.

Gypsy Rose Lee (1911-1970) was born Louise Hovick in Seattle, Washington, and became the most famous burlesque actor and striptease artist of her day, renowned as much for her witty repartee on stage as for removing her clothes. First performing with her sister on the vaudeville circuit and later in striptease routines, Rose soon landed star billing in a top New York burlesque theater, and following her wild success there, became a popular fixture in Broadway theaters. In 1937 she moved to Hollywood. She went on to appear in twelve films and have her own television show. Rose's writing career included contributing regularly to "The New Yorker," reporting on the New York social scene, and publishing two novels. She also wrote her memoir "Gypsy" (1957), which later became the inspiration for the hugely popular Broadway musical, "Gypsy: A Musical Fable" and the 1962 film version of the play.

Femmes Fatales restores to print the best of women's writing in the classic pulp genres of the mid-20th century. From mystery to hard-boiled noir to taboo lesbian romance, these rediscovered queens of pulp offer subversive perspectives on a turbulent era. Enjoy the series: "Bedelia; The Blackbirder; Bunny Lake Is Missing; By Cecile; The G-String Murders; The Girls in 3-B; In a Lonely Place; Laura; Mother Finds a Body; Now, Voyager; Skyscraper; Stranger on Lesbos; Women's Barracks."