Voted Least Likely

KIRKUS REVIEW   Published review 6/26/2020

A neurotic New Jersey bank president finds himself charged with murder in this mystery.

A bank employee has been killed, and the evidence against Baxter Bindle is overwhelming. Cops discovered his bloody fingerprint at the murder scene, along with some of his hair and the cosmetic he uses to hide acne scars. He also had a motive to kill the victim, John Kingsley, a bank examiner who uncovered money laundering at the Lowersex County Bank, where Baxter is president. Baxter's cumbersome father, Barnaby, has tried molding his son into "a well educated, strong man." But Baxter has become a passive hypochondriac who stutters in his father's presence. Barnaby even hired a bank executive, Belle Logan, who covertly

reports to him and ignores Baxter's orders. Luckily, Baxter has an anonymous ally, who opens up a secret way to communicate with the suspect. Clearing him of the murder charge will entail unmasking the real killer, but time is short. With all the money laundering going on at Lowersex County Bank, the FBI, according to rumors, is aiming for a racketeering charge, which could land Baxter in prison without bail. So his incognito supporter sets about whittling down the suspect list. Copious pages in this murder mystery are spent developing the main character. There's a lengthy but amusing section on Baxter's failed dates and attempt at golfing with his father. These provide a modicum of sympathy for wealthy, privileged Baxter, whose father took him away from the doting aunt and uncle who initially raised him. The entertaining tale spotlights Baxter's ally, whose identity readers eventually learn—though the reason for helping the banker remains unknown until the end. While Knight's wry humor is effective without making light of homicide, the book's extensive punctuation and formatting issues distract from the overall enjoyment. There are sentences ending with two periods; some missing quotation marks; and single quote marks for dialogue.

An appealing but messy character-driven whodunit.

Pub Date: Aug. 27, 2009

This is a witty murder mystery with a cast of suspicious characters. Baxter's  character is well drawn as a bewildered naaive son of a self made tycoon.  The author is clever at hiding the killer until the end of the story. Entertaining read.  Kdp  reviewer

Voted Least LikelyThis is a witty murder mystery with a cast of suspicious characters. Baxter's   character

is well drawn as a bewildered naaive son of a self made tycoon.  The author is clever at

hiding the killer until the end of the story. Entertaining read.  Kdp  reviewer

Voted Least Likely