Eleanor Taylor Bland - Fatal Remains (2004)
Eleanor Taylor Bland, a grande dame of Chicago mystery writers, has recently published her 11th novel featuring police detective Marti MacAlister. Fatal Remains is both an excellent contemporary mystery and an intriguing exploration into the past.
A young college student dies under mysterious circumstances on the estate of a strange, wealthy old man with an obsessive interest in his family's history. As it turns out, he has a good reason to be so interested.
Detective MacAlister doesn't care about any of that, though. She just has a possible murder to solve. With the help of her partner, she goes about it in methodical but always interesting style.
Along with the enjoyable plot, Bland manages to include some intriguing details of the area's history, going back to the days of the Underground Railroad and the Native Americans who originally lived in the area. Both parts are nicely done, working together to create a compelling and enjoyable book.
Posted by David J. Montgomery in Book Reviews | Permalink
