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Nathan Henry, a figure in the American Revolution and a friend of Ben Franklin, has a very unusual idea for his will. After 200 years his descendants will be brought together in Philadelphia for the reading of the document. At the center of the plot is the very likeable Millie Kirchner, who has been summoned from Texas, where she has a part time job in a nursing home while takingÊclasses at the local college and being a single mother to her nine-year-old son. Her guardian angel, a wealthy woman at the nursing home, deposits enough money in Millie's bank account (anonymously) to allow Millie to join the relatives she didn't know she had in Philadelphia. The meeting consists of a stay in Henry's mansion and a series of outings to historical sites in the vicinity, all the while shepherded by the two executors, a banker and a lawyer. Further, Henry established a lottery for some of the lucky assembled relatives to receive precious heirlooms. Those who don't win heirlooms must be content with the money -- half a million dollars apiece. Henry's plans for a civilized reunion begin to unravel almost at once, when one of two obnoxious cousins is found dead in the ornamental pool. The second cousin bites the dust soon after. For the reader, the most heart-rending death is that of Hamilton Ross, Henry's only black descendant; his body is found while the group is on a field trip. Ross, a lovely person, is a high school principal who adores antiques but has never been able to afford them. Just as he is about to realize his dream, he is cut down. Suspicion falls on Ed Cunningham, a disgusting racist and bigot, who taunts Ross about his race and whose only interest is how soon he can get his hands on the money.ÊWhen he is murdered as well, the carefully laid plans Henry made are abandoned. The book has several assets: the sense of place and of history in Philadelphia are drawn with great skill. If (like me) you are a lover of American history and of Philadelphia, you will find the book especially engrossing. Even if you aren't into history, the story is swiftly paced enough to keep interest, and the characters are so vivid that at times you feel you're right there with the group at dinner, in the library, or at Independence Hall. As is appropriate for a mystery, the ending is a complete shock, as Millie is about to expose the murderer as the perpetrator of a giant fraud.
Reviewed by Mary Elizabeth Devine, February 2006
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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