Forty Whacks

Brian Donodio Mysteries #2

by Sheila MacGill-Callahan

The townspeople of Fall River, Massachusetts - Lizzie Borden's hometown - have been riveted by the vicious axe-slaying of one of their own, Abby Meyer. A woman named Liza Borden, found at the murder scene, axe in hand, is blamed for the death. The police and media have descended upon her with a fury, feeding on the eerie coincidence of her name matching that of Fall River's most notorious former resident. Brian Donodio, professor turned sleuth, is drawn into this horrific tale by an old friend. Liza's brother, faithfully believing in her innocence, calls on Donodio to help uncover the truth. Clues lead Donodio to the Delaney Institute, a research facility where Liza is a resident veterinarian and where Abby had been on the governing board. As Donodio becomes more involved in the case, he reveals a wicked, twisted plot involving murder and mutilation.

198 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1994