Saturday, July 2, 2011

Dead Man's Switch-Tammy G. Kaehler

Dead Man's Switch
Tammy G. Kaehler
Poisoned Pen, Aug 2 2011, $24.95
ISBN 9781590588819

Freelance driver Kate Reilly hopes to hook up with a racing team at the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) circuit. She arrives very early at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Connecticut for the Fourth of July New England Grand Prix in case someone needs a late replacement driver. As she gets out of her vehicle she sees the corpse of Corvette driver Wade Becker.

Police Detective Jolley interrogates Kate as if he suspects she killed the victim. She realizes in his mind she had the employment motive; others on the circuit assume the same thing as she and Becker becomes a gossip entry. Kate wants to prove her innocence so she investigates only to affirm what she knew about Becker; that many people loathed him.

This is a super racing amateur sleuth that works as a delightful whodunit, but it is the insight into life at the track that brings the freshness. The story line is fast-paced as readers will believe they are strapped in the Corvette while Kate takes us around the track. Racing fans or not, readers will enjoy Kate’s insightful tour of the circuit while she also investigates who murdered Becker.

Harriet Klausner

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