The Sterling Inheritance

Midnight Investigations #1

by Michael Siverling

Private investigator Jason Wilder has the toughest boss in River It's his mother. She and her husband were legendary police detectives when Jason was growing up. Wild Bill Wilder has since died, and Mom is running the detective agency they had founded with a loving but definitely iron hand.Working under Mom (also known by her staff as "Queen Victoria" and "Her Highness") is adventurous, no denying that. Jason's present assignment, to locate a missing businessman, leads to some unexpected surprises. He locates the man in a dreary motel, with orders to return him to his worried wife. Instead, the man shoots at him. Before he can recover from the attempt, he is surrounded by police, who punch him, handcuff him, and inform him that his subject is wanted for homicide. From there the case expands, plunging Jason into some twisted bypaths. Why are the members of the suspect's family (including his enchanting sister) fighting tooth and nail over a dilapidated movie house the sister is restoring? Why was the dead man's body found just outside it? Is there something hidden there---and what? With Jason doing the footwork and Mom supplying the know-how, they get dangerously close, and Mom is going to have to take a hand herself.

Genres: Mystery

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Michael Siverling is a veteran Criminal Investigator in Sacramento, California who has worked assignments ranging from homicide to political corruption to child abduction in cases that have taken him throughout the United States as well as Germany, Mexico and Romania. He has also been qualified as a police instructor in firearms and weaponless defense.

Reviews

[LJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE STERLING INHERITANCE (Private Investigator-Fictional town (Part of Sacramento)-Cont) – G+
Siverling, Michael – 1st book
Thomas Dunn Books, 2004- Hardcover
PI Jason Wilder and the Midnight Investigation Agency, has been hired to find Tony Sterling. When he does, Sterling tries to shoot him. Sterling is then arrested for murder of a man found in the dumpster behind the theatre owned by Sterling and his sister. But when Sterling claims his sister is the actual killer and he then disappears, it clear things are not as they seem.
*** This book works because of the characters and the dialogue. The plot is a bit weak and way too much attention was spent on telling us where Jason parked his car. But the relationship between Jason and his mother, who owns the detective agency, is delightful and characterized by quips reminiscent of the 20s. It's a delightful first book and I am looking forward to the next one.

[Alissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Jason is a young PI in the fictional River City, Ca, so much time is spent on describing River City and it's wasted since it's a fictional town.
As for the genre, Jason is a younger PI so might appeal to 20 somethings. The mystery has a surprise (to me) killer and wraps up rather neatly without a lot of violence or build up. Characterization of Jason's mom (owner of the PI agency) is vivid and detailed but Jason lacks depth. Reviews said this is first of a series so it'd be interesting to see how number two turned out.

[Grey853 · Rating 2 out of 5]

The main character of this PI story tries a bit too hard to be funny and that didn't work for me. He's also bullied and pushed around by his mom, the head of the agency he works for. None of the story rang true. I give it two stars instead of one because it wasn't terrible, but it was just too predictable.

[Luanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great mystery/thriller. Anthony works for his mother Victoria. Victoria and Anthony's late father worked for the police department. Victoria now runs a detective agency where Anthony works. A Russian expatriate hires the agency to find her husband. This book was hard to put down and well written. Definitely an author to look for.

[Viccy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jason Wilder works for a living: he is a private investigator for his mother's Midnight Investigation Agency. This was a fun read, not too deep, lots of action. I will read Michael Silvering again.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Sterling Inheritance by Michael Siverling (2004)

[Lacrymosa Quiñones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this mystery book