A Splendid Little Murder by Henry SimpsonMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Book Description
Teddy Roosevelt's "splendid little war" led to his
eventual presidency. A century later, his hunting lodge on La Tempestad island
is the scene of a "splendid little murder" that threatens the political career
of Representative Alonso B. Duncan--the victim is his lovely executive
assistant.
Federal police assign a seasoned veteran, Inspector Ed Lane, to investigate. On a whim, he picks novice detective Miranda Bell from the Fish and Game service to assist. After a rough flight by air taxi, Lane and Bell arrive on the island. They examine the crime scene, question possible witnesses, and try to identify a motive and suspects. They find the island a wild west balkanized among cattle ranchers, throwback vaqueros, hunters, a pot farmer, and Grateful Deadhead custodians of a nature sanctuary. Like the island in Shakespeare's Tempest, it is a
domain misruled by a remote and overbearing Duke.
Lane and Bell's investigation is complicated by Bell's unbridled curiosity, Lane's chronic motion sickness, a charismatic Mexican Mafia leader, a deceitful congressman, a DEA agent with a J. Edgar Hoover complex, and a meddling reporter chasing a Pulitzer. Threats are issued and attempts and are made on their lives. Will they survive long enough to accomplish their mission?
Federal police assign a seasoned veteran, Inspector Ed Lane, to investigate. On a whim, he picks novice detective Miranda Bell from the Fish and Game service to assist. After a rough flight by air taxi, Lane and Bell arrive on the island. They examine the crime scene, question possible witnesses, and try to identify a motive and suspects. They find the island a wild west balkanized among cattle ranchers, throwback vaqueros, hunters, a pot farmer, and Grateful Deadhead custodians of a nature sanctuary. Like the island in Shakespeare's Tempest, it is a
domain misruled by a remote and overbearing Duke.
Lane and Bell's investigation is complicated by Bell's unbridled curiosity, Lane's chronic motion sickness, a charismatic Mexican Mafia leader, a deceitful congressman, a DEA agent with a J. Edgar Hoover complex, and a meddling reporter chasing a Pulitzer. Threats are issued and attempts and are made on their lives. Will they survive long enough to accomplish their mission?
MY REVIEW : I was pleased with this book.I enjoyed it very much. The story was interesting. The plot development was sound. I thought I had it figured out, waiting to see how Bell and Lane would prove my theory, only to be surprised with new twists. I found myself trying to get back to it as often as I could to find out how it ended. The author gave good enough descriptions so I could envision the island and the people on it, but didn't go overboard so that it became boring paragraph after paragraph I wanted to skip through to get to the good part. The only sections I found reading awkward were the scenes when the main characters were alone, Bell jogging, and Lane in the water. The style of writing in those sections was new to me, and I hadn't made up my mind if I liked it or not.
Over all, I would definitely recommend it.
I received this book for free in exchange for a review.
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