About
Reviews
Search
Submit
Home

Mystery Books for Sale

[ Home ]
[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]


  

DEAD FILE
by Kelly Lange
Warner Books, July 2003
320 pages
$24.95
ISBN: 089296751X


Buy in the UK | Buy in Canada

Maxi Poole is an anchorwoman for L.A.'s Channel Six TV news. Her co-anchor, Rob Reordan, is the patriarch of Southern California journalism, a lazy egotistical fellow long past his prime but still hanging on by his fingertips. Rob's usual M.O. is to turn up on the set ten minutes before broadcast time and wing it. Maxi, on the other hand, is a real working journalist who digs into every story she covers. And when she covers the sudden death of California businesswoman Gillian Rose, she knows she's onto something really big.

Gillian and her husband Carter Rose own one of the largest dietary supplement companies in the country. Married in name only, Gillian was planning to divorce Carter and form her own company prior to her death. Her partner in the new venture was to be Goodman Penthe, an East Coast multi-millionaire and savvy businessman. Penthe's money was to have supported research on a compound designed to change the color of a user's eyes. Gillian's formula would have turned blue eyes green, pink, or even purple on a temporary basis, but that's not what it was originally designed to do. Formulated by pharmacist William Schaeffer, the compound was intended to relieve the symptoms of glaucoma. The pharmacist's signature on a letter of intent had left Gillian holding the golden goose and Schaeffer completely in the dark.

Gillian's death is supposed to be natural, but when Maxi invades Rose's corporate suite before the body is removed, she notices something very unnatural about the woman. Gillian's famous blue eyes have turned brown. Maxi later learns about Schaeffer's formula when the pharmacist's daughter Sandie is attacked and left in a coma after breaking into Gillian's office. As personal assistant to Gillian, Sandie knew that her boss intended to market the formula as a different product than originally planned. Her attempt to find the formula and give it back to her dad fails, but the attack on her life gives new impetus to Maxi's hunt for a story. Maxi befriends William Schaeffer, and over the course of Sandie's recovery, she becomes close to the girl also. She begins to suspect Sandie's attacker was either Carter Rose or his personal assistant and lover, Kendyl Scott. Proving her suspicions may be difficult, but a piece of film in the television station's 'dead file' room may provided her with just the clue she needs to break the case while grabbing a whole lot of headlines.

Kelly Lange is a former L.A. television news anchorwoman who uses her knowledge of the business to pen a mystery with a definite hook. Liberally sprinkled with trade talk, Dead File is told from multiple viewpoints, giving readers insight into the thoughts and deeds of all the major characters. Two subplots, one romantic and one dealing with a stolen manuscript, fill in the gaps in the major action, but don't quite come off as tension builders. The main suspense centers on the death/possible murder of Gillian Rose and the attack on Sandie. Even that wanes a bit when the author presents the idea that a second attack on Sandie is imminent, but then fails to follow through on the threat. Lange's experience as a newscaster shows, though. Her book is a good choice for readers who enjoy unique settings in their mysteries.

Reviewed by Mary V. Welk, July 2003

This book has more than one review. Click here to show all.

[ Top ]


QUICK SEARCH:

 

Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)


[ About | Reviews | Search | Submit ]
[ Home ]