"strong mystery collection"
This eleven-story mystery collection consists of nine
shorts, one longer short tale and a novella. The longer
short story ("Proportionate Response") and the novella
("Off-Season") are published for the first time while the
remaining stories were all released in various publications
in the last five years. Each of the eleven entries is well
written and contains the trademark Jeremiah Healy final
twist, but the book belongs to the two never seen before
longer tales. "Proportionate Response". Not long after he retired from
the military Colonel Raymond Hammett lost his beloved
Hildy, who died in an air crash. Two years after he buried
her, he still mourns her and privacy is all he wants.
However, his neighbors, the preadolescent Peele brothers
(Jeff and Curt) steal his canoe ending his hermit life.
After "consulting" with Hildy as he always does the Colonel
calls the police to locate his vessel and to capture the
thief, not knowing why Hildy encourages him to bring wine.
This is a tale of thievery and counter theft. "Off-Season". After intense work involving a mob killing,
Boston Sergeant Detective Kevin Malley goes to Ste Marie,
Macaroon in the Caribbean on vacation. While he spends the
night with an islander, someone murders Faith Bressler, a
guest of the Bayview Hotel. Inspector Paul Gant questions
fellow guest Kevin, who has an airtight alibi. Insisting
he lacks homicide expertise, Paul asks Kevin to help on the
murder case. Kevin quickly agrees not realizing that the
inquiries will make him friends with a gecko. This is a
superb police procedural with a twist that is realistic
that no one will see coming. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted July 24, 2003
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