Living in the city is expensive, and Cynthia has been forced to take an apartment in the Cairns. The building is a dump, and so is her apartment. All she can do is try to keep it clean. She is backing into the hallway with the trash when she runs smack into Alex. It does not take them long to like one another. They are unaware of that someone is watching their growing relationship. One evening in Cynthia's apartment, the lights go out when Alex touches a frayed electrical cord. They are both hit with the jolt of electricity. When they come to, the impossible has happened-- they now occupy one another's bodies.

Cynthia is an accountant for a big downtown firm. Alex knows nothing about crunching numbers. Alex is a policeman, with a large build. Cynthia is too tiny to be a cop, and she hates guns. Now they have to fill in for one another until they figure out how to get back into their own bodies. If they are not careful, both of them will get fired. Neither have a clue how to physically be the opposite sex. There is no one they can tell about the problem, because no one would believe them anyway. And the killer goes right on killing people--- people in their neighborhood.

BESIDE MYSELF starts a little slow, but when it picks up it is a laugh a minute. The characters are well-developed, and very likable. Ms. Simpson's description of Alex learning to walk and behave like a female, Cynthia like a guy, not to mention using both public and private facilities almost had me rolling on the floor laughing. They both come out of the deal with a great deal more respect for the opposite sex. The mystery develops nicely throughout the book. I recommend BESIDE MYSELF very highly. Don't miss it!

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Sweet

Reviewer: Judy Cook
June 15, 2004