A Wrongful DeathKate Wilhelm |
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 3/29/2011 |
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Why isn't Kate Wilhelm a better known author? A Wrongful Death is another excellent book in a powerful mystery series. After her last case, Barbara Holloway had to get away from everything. She left Eugene, Oregon, and landed in San Francisco for a few weeks. Then she slowly drove back up the coast, working her way back home. She rents a cabin along the Oregon coast for a few days. Her peace was interrupted by a woman and her young son, but each left the other alone. Then Barbara meets the little boy running down the path. His mother has been hurt. He takes her to their cabin. The woman's head is badly injured and Barbara is afraid to move her. Barbara makes her comfortable, then leaves the two so she can get help. When she gets back with the owner of the property, the woman and young boy are gone. There's nothing more she can do. It takes another week or so then Barbara is forced to go home. She may be a material witness to a felony. The woman who was injured is accused of kidnapping the young boy, her son. Barbara doesn't believe there was a kidnapping, but she is now involved. In fact, she is accused of helping the woman, Elizabeth Kurtz, and could be named as an accessory. No one believes her story. Then Barbara receives a phone call from the elusive woman. Could Barbara come to her apartment at 5:00? When Barbara arrives, she finds the door open. There, on the floor, is Elizabeth's battered body. The little boy is missing. Elizabeth's cousin, Leonora, had discovered the body and is now frantic. Once again Barbara is questioned as to motive. The police are sure she knows more than she does. Elizabeth's ex-mother-in-law feels the same. She shamelessly uses the press to call on Barbara to tell what she knows so Jason can be returned to his family. This is another wonderful Barbara Holloway novel with all the twists and turns that can entail. Barbara's personal relationship has taken a turn she didn't expect. She has to make a decision as to how to deal with Darren Halvord, the man she loves but knows will always come in second to her job. The situation with Elizabeth Kurtz takes more turns. Barbara cannot represent Leonora due to conflict of interest, but her father can. Now that Leonora is Frank's client, Barbara learns more and guesses other things. It is Christmas, which helps slow down the paperwork and legal actions. The more they learn, the more the Holloways have to keep Leonora from going to court. But if they tell the complete story to the police before getting things lined up, the woman could be killed as well as her cousin. Wilhelm sets the stage well, making the reader wonder how the Holloways, specifically Barbara, can prevent the arrest of an innocent woman and provide safety for a young boy. I got pulled into this psychological suspense. It is well crafted with twists that are new to me (and I read a lot of mysteries). It stands on its own quite well, although Barbara's personal story is better understood with the background of the previous few books in the series. Yet there is enough explanation that they don't need to be read first. Notice: Non-graphic violence |
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Barbara Holloway Series:
Death Qualified |
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These reviews are personal opinions only and in no way reflect other readers' opinions of the books discussed.
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