"Complex and introspective work"
Hopewell, Virginia is a sleepy little town where
nothing ugly ever happens and race relations seem to be
fine. Sheriff A.G. Farrell had planned to stay in the big
city but when war broke out, he was asked to serve a term
for Sheriff. Twelve years later, he is still the sheriff
although he doesn't wear a uniform or carry a badge. He
has gotten into a routine and lives up to the town's
expectations of him. A.G.'s complacency is about to be shattered by the
scandalous murder of Captain Fitzgerald, a soldier
stationed at Ft. Lee. With just a little digging, the
sheriff learns that Private Carbone's wife was having an
affair with the captain and that the enlisted man possessed
the murder weapon. Carbone is arrested for the homicide.
A.G. thinks the case is wrapped up a little too neatly but
before he can dig any deeper, he meets the captain's wife,
a beautiful and seductive woman and begins an affair with
her. The unprofessional behavior clouds his judgment so
that all his future actions involving the captain's death
are skewed by his desire for the lovely widow. John A. Miller has written a complex and
introspective work that reflects the social morals and
values of the fifties. The key characters in TROPICAL HEAT
are people that are unforgettable. Though one sub-plot add
nothing to the main story line, overall the mystery is
designed for the reader to see the truth right away, but
cleverly executed to keep the audience's attention till the
end. Harriet Klausner
Reviewed by PNR Group Member
Posted December 31, 2001
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