Saturday, May 7, 2011

Missing Persons-Clare O'Donohue

Missing Persons
Clare O'Donohue
Plume, May 31 2011, $15.00
ISBN 9780452297067

After almost two decades of marriage having met in high school, Chicago TV producer Kate Conway and her artist husband Frank are obtaining a divorce. His lover Vera Bingham calls Kate to inform her that Frank, after playing basketball, collapsed and was rushed to St. Anthony’s Hospital. The wife and the soon to be wife meet at St. Anthony where Frank died from a heart attack.

An autopsy of Frank shows he had extreme excessive amounts of digitalis in his body. The two women in his life are the prime suspects especially the wife who has a strong motive. As Vera wants to be her friend, Kate learns about their affair. To not focus on Frank’s death and her grief, Kate concentrates on her show Missing Persons as she investigates the disappearance of well liked community volunteer twentyish Theresa Monetti. However, the Monetti vanishing and Frank’s death comingle with Kate fearing she will star on her show as the third victim.

Missing Persons is a superb amateur sleuth mystery starring a wonderful protagonist who keeps the story line focused. Kate’s musing over the years with Frank add to the strong introspection while her Missing Persons gig helps distract her a bit though Vera seems to have the knack of bringing her back to Frank. Readers will enjoy the TV producer’s investigation that to her chagrin and soon fear leads from Monetti to Frank with Kate in the crosshairs as the connector.

Harriet Klausner

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