Elaine Flinn - Dealing in Murder (2003)
Another new writer whose name ought to garner a lot of attention is Elaine Flinn, author of the wonderful debut novel Dealing in Murder, which shows just how dangerous the world of antiques can be.
Molly Doyle was a hotshot dealer in New York until her dramatic public downfall and arrest, caused by her husband's scamming and philandering. She is exiled to the Left Coast and a friend sets her up in a ramshackle antiques shop on the Monterey Peninsula.
Doyle is an appealing protagonist, a mixture of anger, savvy and vulnerability. She also seems authentic, the kind of character you could actually know and like. She is a strong woman who can handle herself but never seems like a feminine man, which unfortunately happens with too many female mystery characters.
The well-crafted plot revolves around three sins: murder, fraud and greed. It's complicated enough to keep you interested in finding out what happened and why, but not so convoluted that it leaves you baffled or bores you with its improbability.
Posted by David J. Montgomery in Book Reviews | Permalink
