One Fell Swoop

by David Linzee

When mezzo-soprano Renata Radleigh stumbles over a corpse on London’s Hampstead Heath, she suspects the death has something to do with her brother Don’s boss, a billionaire speculator who will go to any lengths to keep his identity secret. Don is acting as his front-man in far-off St. Louis, Missouri, buying up a borderline slum called Parkdale. Don has an apartment in Parkdale and claims he wants to save the neighborhood. He’s even having a romance with a local community gardener, the sturdy Hannah. Tipped off by a long-distance call from his girlfriend Renata, Peter Lombardo tails the slippery Don and discovers he really lives in the fashionable Central West End, where he seems to have a more glamorous lover. Peter is not buying Don’s new image. Not even the drug dealers trust the man. Between singing engagements at a London mansion and a prison, Renata tries to find out the truth about Don’s employer and ends up pursued by his thugs, fleeing for her life. She flees all the way to St. Louis to join forces with her beloved Peter. Why is the powerful and charismatic chancellor of Adams University interested in Don’s dealings? What is Don up to? Does he know himself, or is he nothing but a patsy who could well pay for his cluelessness with his life, as well as the lives of Renata and Peter? Book 2 in the Renata Radleigh Opera Mystery series, which began with Spur of the Moment.

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 7, 2017

About the author

David Linzee lives in University City, Missouri. He has written for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, St. Louis Magazine, and the West End Word. He is retired from teaching English at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He used to live near New York, where he was a member of Mystery Writers of America, and served on its Board of Directors and on numerous Edgar Award committees.

He is married to Claire Cain Linzee, who runs a landscaping business. He serves on the boards of the Historical Society of University City and U City in Bloom, and also volunteers at the Clowder House cat shelter.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Opera mezzo Renata Radleigh nurses her faltering career from London, while her boyfriend, journalist Peter Lombardo, pines in St. Louis. Renata's brother Don seems to have turned over a new leaf and is using his real estate career to help a borderline neighborhood prosper, but Renata worries that he's being manipulated by his very rich and powerful boss. Threatened by thugs, Renata flies to St. Louis where the neighborhood is about to blow up. The stakes are higher than they seem, and lives may be forfeit to corrupt speculators.

[Brian Greiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This mystery combines a nicely layered plot with an intriguing central character. The story takes place in two very distinct cities and cultures, and the author does an excellent job of transporting the reader and story through both. The layers of plot fit together very well and keep the reader guessing. The pacing of the story is just right, with enough twists to maintain interest. The characters, and their development, are believable and interesting.
I always enjoy stories with characters that illuminate areas of the world new to me. In this case, the main character comes from the world of opera singers. Her lover is an investigative journalist. It was fascinating to get a glimpse into those professions, and to watch them in action. The quality of the writing makes it easy to become absorbed by the story.
This is a well-written and entertaining book that will be of interest to anyone looking for a serious, but not dark, mystery to loose themselves in.
Why 4 stars instead of 5? To me, 3 stars indicates something worth reading, 4 stars indicates that a book that has something special going for it in addition to being a good read, and 5 stars is reserved for books with a richness and depth that totally blow me away (eg. "Dune" or "Lord of the Rings").
DISCLAIMER : I received a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review as part of Mystery Thriller Week.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5.0

Intriguing from the start, "One Fell Swoop" is fast paced and action packed!

Read full review in the 2017 April issue of InD'tale Magazine.