Fallen from Grace

Helen Black Mysteries #6

by Pat Welch

A Helen Black Mystery When downsized corporate executive and closeted lesbian Leslie Merrick takes a nose dive from an eighth-story window, the cops jump to the conclusion that her death is a suicide. Could the woman's fall have been accidental? Or is Helen Black being set up to take the biggest fall of all?

Genres: Fiction, Mystery

244 pages, Paperback

First published June 26, 1998

About the author

Pat Welch was born in Japan in 1957. After returning to the US she grew up in an assortment of small towns in the south until her family relocated to Florida. She has lived in the San Francisco Bay area since 1986.

Reviews

[Wayne Spiceland · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are no reviews posted for this one, and, since I enjoyed it a lot, I'll try to fill that vacuum. After vacillating for a while between 3 and 4 stars, I uncharacteristically gave the benefit of the doubt and went with the higher. Is it the "ne plus ultra" of the genre, which for me, as some of you know, means Jean Redmann and Jaye Maimann? No, maybe not even at that next level of Dreher, Forrest and McNab, but that's nothing to be ashamed of; not all more mainstream mysteries are Paretsky or Grafton, Parker or McBain. It's still a very entertaining mystery featuring a likeable protagonist with a strong social conscience (though she doubts it) and realistic relationship issues.

The relationship between protagonist Helen and her lover Alison reminds me a little of Kate Delafield and Aimee, with Alison trying to break through barriers and get Helen to open up to her about her work. In fact, Helen begins to thaw in this regard, not only telling her about her case, but even involving her in it,to a degree.

I thought the ending was a little too fast, like Welch just wanted to wind things up. Sort of "oops, I got shot; hey I'm in the hospital; uh, we did get the bad "guy" didn't we?" Also, seems like Alison wanting so much to stay with Helen in the hospital would have been the perfect spot for her to come out to her parents, who probably know anyway.


Again, a quick, entertaining read well worth your time.