A Wrongful Death

July 9, 2007
Wilhelm’s sharp ninth Barbara Holloway legal thriller (after 2006’s Sleight of Hand
) proves compelling action can take place outside a courtroom. A not entirely welcome marriage proposal from her boyfriend, Darren, inspires Barbara to head to a remote California cabin for some time to herself. Her getaway is interrupted by a boy seeking help for his injured mother. Barbara goes to get help and comes back to find that the two have vanished. They turn out to be Elizabeth and Jason Kurtz, on the run after discovering Elizabeth’s ex-husband’s family business, the Diedricks Corp., has been involved in illegal activities that could derail a planned billion-dollar Swiss buyout. When Elizabeth resurfaces in Eugene, Ore., Barbara agrees to meet her, only to find Elizabeth has been shot dead and Jason is missing. Barbara comes under increasing scrutiny from the Kurtz family and the police as she struggles to solve the bewildering puzzle. Wilhelm’s smooth style, sans graphic violence or sex, provides a cool alternative to overheated blockbusters.

September 3, 2007
In Wilhelm's latest Barbara Holloway mystery, the Oregon-based attorney takes a time-out in a remote cabin in California, where she comes upon and aids an injured Elizabeth Kurtz, who has fled there after finding dangerous information about her ex-husband's family business. The information gets her killed, and because no good deed goes unpunished in tales of murder, Barbara finds herself a suspect. MacDuffie, who has taken over narrating this series from Anna Fields, captures Barbara's range of emotions in a thoughtful performance. Even more impressive is the work she puts into defining the minor characters, from the shrill and fearful Elizabeth, to the neutral tone of the therapist Barbara consults about her fears of commitment. The male characters are equally well conceived, including Elizabeth's ex-husband, who can hiss with menace or be equally threatening when his demeanor is calm and controlled. Even the cabin owner and local California sheriff get their own twangy and crusty accents. MacDuffie's riveting performance is commendable but this pedestrian and insider mystery will baffle newcomers to the series. Simultaneous release with the Mira hardcover (Reviews, July 9).