Martin Talbot is the only child of Judy Cooper Talbert, aka The Black Stiletto, but he's the only one who knows about her crime-fighting alter-ego of the 50s and 60s, except for an elderly retired FBI agent who would never tell anyone. Knowing his mom's terrible secret is a huge burden for Martin, who's been experiencing debilitating panic attacks. No matter the consequences, he can't keep from reading the diaries she wrote of her life from that time period. The diaries came into his possession, as well as her crusader attire, after Judy had to be placed in a care facility following her diagnosis of Alzheimer's, which is getting progressively worse. Of course, this means Martin can't discuss anything with his mom that he reads in the diaries, which adds to his panic-attack dilemma.

In Judy's 1960 diary, Martin reads about the trouble Judy finds herself in when she becomes over-confident in her abilities as The Black Stiletto. She seems to have more close calls than ever before. Will her inflated ego and arrogance over her past successes be her downfall? After a close call in New York City's Chinatown area, Judy learns some new fighting skills from an unlikely source that help her in future confrontations. But she just can't seem to keep from getting into trouble. Even when she volunteers to help with the John Kennedy campaign, she finds herself embroiled with unsavory characters plotting to bring down both presidential candidates. Judy is lucky to make it through 1960.

In the present, the one bright spot in Martin's life is a new romantic relationship with one of his mom's doctors. But his daughter Gina, who lives in New York and is recovering from an assault, is still a concern for Martin. Even though she claims to be dealing with the attack, her actions tell a different story. Martin's ex-wife is preparing to remarry, which seems to throw him off track. But Martin's new love forces him to realize he must deal truthfully with all the events in his life if he wants to have a healthy, long-term relationship with her and the others he loves.

STARS & STRIPES, the third chapter in THE BLACK STILETTO series by Raymond Benson, again molds together the past and present life of Judy Cooper Talbot and how it affects the generations that follow her. There are so many questions left unanswered, which I'm assuming will be coming in future installments of Judy's diaries. Martin is still wondering who his father is, since he never knew him. So many things his mom told him when he was younger are now proving false, but she's unable to articulate what he needs to know, except through her diaries. I can't wait for further revelations about the life of the THE BLACK STILETTO and her offspring.

Book Summary

It's 1960. The Black Stiletto, in her civilian persona as Judy Cooper, volunteers to work for John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign, only to become involved in a devious behind-the-scenes plot that could change the course of history. Is the mysterious Eastern European man she briefly dated associated with a Cuban/Soviet spy ring? Closer to home, the Stiletto must challenge dangerous tongs in Chinatown after befriending a teenage boy whose father was killed by the gangs. She soon discovers what a different--and very deadly--world exists in lower Manhattan. In the present, Martin, the Stiletto's son, must deal with his mother's worsening Alzheimer's symptoms, his own mental health issues, and the dilemma of whether or not to reveal his family's secrets to the new woman in his life. Meanwhile, his daughter, Gina, continues to bring trouble to herself, exhibiting behavior that suggests she is closer in spirit to her grandmother than Martin would like.