Safe at Home

Kate Henry Mystery #2

by Alison Gordon

Kate Henry's back. And she's multi-tasking again.

She's the feisty baseball reporter for the Planet newspaper who gets drawn into the investigation of a serial killer stalking the streets of Toronto, claiming one young boy after another as his victim.

In the meantime, Kate is in hot water herself as she prepares to break a news story that will throw the Toronto Titans team into turmoil.

Just another week in the chaotic life of baseball's only female reporter.

Librarian's note: the characters, settings, book descriptions, etc. have been done for the 5 volume series: #1. Dead Pull Hitter (1988), #2. Safe at Home (1990), #3. Night Game (1992), #4. Striking Out (1995), and #5. Prairie Hardball (1997). But improvements are welcome!

Genres: Baseball, Mystery, Fiction, Sports, Mystery Thriller

239 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1990

About the author

Alison Gordon was born in New York City. She spent her childhood in New York, Tokyo, Cairo and Rome because of her (Canadian) father's work with the United Nations. She attended Queen's University but left before completing her degree. Alison held various positions in television, radio and newspaper, including five years as a baseball writer for the Toronto Star (1979-1985). Foul Balls, her first book, details her experiences as the first woman to cover major league baseball. She has served on the boards of The Writers' Union, Crime Writers of Canada, PEN Canada, and the International Association of Crime Writers. She received the Citation of Merit for sports writing. She passed away in Toronto in 2015.

Series:
* Kate Henry Mystery

Reviews

[Jack Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars. Not up there with her first Kate Henry mystery, The Dead Pull Hitter, but Alison Gordon's second is a good one. Better than a three so I rounded-up! A touch slow at the start, but it gets going. Kate, MLB's first female reporter, is one talented cookie but she's thin-skinned under pressure. Baseball was even more a man's world in 1989, the novel's timeframe, than today. It's still conservative, but the racial viciousness of 1947 has generally disappeared. That was the year when, thanks to Jackie Robinson and Branch Rickey, the 62-year-old colour barrier against blacks finally fell. But two other social issues take the stage here. Misogynism - many players and writers don't like Kate being in the locker room. Anti-gay prejudices confront her even more; Toronto Titan star Joe Kelsey calls her and announces that he intends to come out of the closet if she'll interview him. She does; he does, and all hell breaks lose. This continues today - only 2 MLB players have ever come out and they waited to retire first. The other focus? Kate's boyfriend, police detective Andy Munro, is tracking a serial killer of pre-teen boys. You just know she'll get involved. (May2024/Se2025)

[Steve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Toronto newspaper sports reporter Kate Henry is now an item with police Sgt. Andy Munro, whom she met in the first book of the series, Dead Pull Hitter. This is the second, that finds Munro assigned to an apparent serial killer of youngsters, a gory business. Kate meanwhile, has a golden story dropped in her lap by one of the Toronto Titans' regular outfielders as the new season has begun.

The stories evolve largely separately and the stresses take their toll on the relationship. Kate's story, about a player choosing to come out of the closet, is handled nicely and realistically. There are folks who are cool with it, and those that, in ugly ways sometimes, are not. I knew the perp before Kate and Andy, but enjoyed them as characters and felt well entertained. I read this in the two eBook set and will be looking for number three.

[Amanda T · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alison Gordon (RIP) could really write a page turner. The problem is the seriously outdated plot, language used (I laughed when Kate referred to her boyfriend as "his nibs"- an expression I haven't heard in YEARS!), sexist and racist attitudes of some of the characters. Even if you could overlook all of that, I was able to figure out who the bad guy was about half way through.

But the quality of the writing is what I long for in more recently mysteries - a well edited and concise story. Take note: mysteries don't need to be 500 page doorstoppers to be effective.

[Homerun2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Baseball reporter Kate Henry finds herself handed a major scoop which causes consternation in the clubhouse. Meanwhile her boyfriend/homicide cop Andy Munro is tracking a creepy serial killer.

I thought this second series entry was not quite as entertaining as the debut. The dialogue is sometimes a bit wooden, and Kate's boyfriend comes across as churlish and macho. Still, a great glimpse of the challenges women sports reporters face in a readable package.

[Marika · Rating 4 out of 5]

V

[Lane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good baseball mystery.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent, but I figured it out kind of early. Also Kate and Andy are obnoxious when they fight.