Shadow Image

Memory #2

by Martin J. Smith

Psychologist Jim Christensen takes on a touchy, timely subject--the ravages of Alzheimer's and how little is really known about it--in Martin J. Smith's second original paperback featuring Christensen (after the equally tense and strongly written Time Release). It appears that Floss Underhill has attempted suicide by jumping off a bridge on her family's estate outside Pittsburgh, and both Christensen and his live-in lover Brenna Kennedy become involved in the case. Brenna's the lawyer hired by the politically powerful Underhill family to keep a lid on the story. Jim knows Floss from his work at the Alzheimer's research center where she is a longtime patient. As Brenna and Jim arrive at the same conclusion from different angles--that Floss was the victim of attempted murder--their lives and those of their two children from previous marriages are threatened by old and new secrets that bubble up from unexpected sources, including the strangely lucid paintings of a disturbed woman. --Dick Adler

Genres: Mystery Thriller

342 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1998

About the author

Author Martin J. Smith was editor-in-chief of the monthly Orange Coast magazine from 2007 to 2016, and a former senior editor of the Los Angeles Times Magazine. He wrote three crime novels, "Time Release," "Shadow Image," and the Edgar Award-nominated "Straw Men," before turning his writing energy to nonfiction books, including "Oops: 20 Life Lessons from the Fiascoes That Shaped America," "Poplorica: A Popular History of the Fads, Mavericks, Inventions and Lore That Shaped Modern America" (both with co-author Patrick J. Kiger), and "The Wild Duck Chase," upon which the award-winning documentary film "The Million Dollar Duck" is based. Diversion Books published his fourth series novel, "The Disappeared Girl," in March 2014, and released his first stand-alone suspense-thriller, "Combustion," in September 2016. Globe Pequot published his collection of journalistic essays about the people, places, and peculiarities of the American Southwest, "Mr. Las Vegas Has a Bad Knee," on Nov. 1, 2017. His latest nonfiction book is "Going to Trinidad: A Doctor, a Colorado Town, and Stories from an Unlikely Gender Crossroads," which Bower House and Tantor Media will publish in April 2021. Smith lives in Granby, Colorado.

Reviews

[Jemera Rone · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book by mistake, not realizing that the Martin Smith, the author, was not Martin Cruz Smith. Nevertheless, I read alll of it and it wasn't bad -- an old mystery that a husband and wife team (who previously solved another mystery) stumble across and solve, with huge political and personal consequences.

[Lynda Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Now I'd read The Disappeared Girl (4*) and Time Release (5*) by this author and then realised they were part of a series which hadn't been the case when I downloaded them so inadvertently I'd read book 4 followed by book 1 and now book 2 !! I did enjoy both of them, though.
However, I've given up on this one at 28%. It is extremely hard-going. I'm a third of the way in, the "crime" occurred right at the start and we've not encountered any police investigating properly as yet so it's pretty dragged-out. Plus the (probably) American references mean I have to keep setting it aside to look up things to know what he's talking about and that's just got too tiresome for me.
I'd no idea who Rube Goldberg was, nor the Frick family, nor what a shelter magazine is, one character makes words up as he goes along like affination, though he possibly meant it to be affirmation instead ? Had to look up Swiss steak and by the time I saw a mention of Corey Chaiken, needing to look him up too, I'd had a gutful.
I was disappointed to read of something the usually lovely Brenna had done while her mother was ill. I didn't like her not being there on Taylor's first day at school, either, instead of running around after a family full of rich nobs !! In this story, Annie is a proper little cow and extremely unlikable and very rude as well.
At one point we're hearing how Floss had a bad short-term memory but this was uttered in context with remembering how to button a button and what she had for breakfast, and I'd certainly not count the first example as short-term !! This passage totally baffled me-"Christensen had the unsettling feeling that she'd simply come back after forgetting her car keys or her Starbucks travel cup".....I'd no idea what he was talking about at all. Nor with "...he spotted the cherry-red titanus that was her beloved 1956 Buick Special".....Google couldn't tell me what titanus means, either !! Then, as they visited an art gallery, Christensen suddenly asked Brenna a question that referred to nothing they'd been discussing !! Totally out of left-field as you'd say over there.
This one is certainly not a patch on the others I'd read by him.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who would have thought?

It's really to bad when money and notoriety are more valuable then life itself. I started out reading this book knowing it was going to be suspenseful but it surely didn't end the way I expected.

Poor Grandma has the second stage of Alzheimer's, and things are happening in her family but she just doesn't know what or why. She's a great artist and has a love for her horse, except it's been taken away from her and she just doesn't understand. Her only Grandson is missing and then someone tries to kill her. The father calls in a defense attorney, people are being killed and the police have been secretly investigating them for awhile. The son is campaigning for Governorship and his wife can't wait to be in control and live in the mansion.
Then as people wash up on shore, children are kidnapped and the investigation starts to shed light, someone else dies.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Story filled with suspense and danger

Great Story filled with suspense and danger

Martin J Smith provided us with a great novel. Fitting for today's life with political corruption and excessive amounts of money for payoffs. Sad that this fictional novel can be in part truthful. I guess where there is lots of money greed and evil can follow. Not necessarily a rule but definitely a possibility. Aside from that, this story takes you through twists and turns, the heartbreak of Alzheimer's and the grief it carries for families and caretakers involved. The storyline flows smoothly and dialogue between characters excellent and understandable. I really like Smith's style and creativity look forward to reading more of his work.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read

Great read

Not wholly predictable, especially the collateral damage! Will definitely check out others by this author to see what else these characters get up to.