Conspiracy Theory: A Gregor Demarkian Novel (Gregor Demarkian Mysteries) [Mass Market Paperback]

Jane Haddam (Author)

Book Description

Series: Gregor Demarkian Mysteries | Publication Date: May 4, 2004

Cavanaugh Street is a mostly quiet Armenian neighborhood in downtown Philadelphia where nearly everyone knows everyone else and certainly knows their business. But that quiet is destroyed when the Armenian Orthodox church is destroyed by a bomb and its cleric, Father Tibor Kasparian, is hospitalized as a result. What would normally be a front-page event, however, is overshadowed by another event across town-when Philadelphia Main Line society is shocked by the murder of one of their own. Anthony van Wyck Ross-the head of one of the major investment banks and a cornerstone of Main Line society-is murdered at the Around the World Harvest Ball being hosted at his mansion.

Now former head of the FBI's Behavioral Sciences Unit Gregor Demarkian must see through the conspiratorial haze-a task that takes on personal resonance since Gregor's girlfriend, Bennis Hannaford, serves as Vice Chairman of the Ball. Soon, Gregor finds himself caught up in a spiral of fear and murder that takes him to the very edge of evil.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

The latest Gregor Demarkian mystery--the nineteenth, since 1990--finds the retired head of the FBI's Behavioral Sciences Unit investigating the bombing of a church in his Philadelphia neighborhood. Meanwhile, a conspiracy is afoot, at least according to a group of conspiracy theorists who believe that an upcoming social event is actually a gathering of the Illuminati, the shadowy organization that some people believe is secretly running the world. Without meaning to, Demarkian winds up smack in the middle of these goings-on, and, once again, he must rely on his wits and his instincts to emerge unscathed. Haddam, a prolific writer (before the Demarkian novels, she wrote under an assortment of pseudonyms), likes to tackle big themes in this series, and devotees of strongly written, intelligent mysteries drawn from the headlines will be pleased to find that she remains hard at work. David Pitt
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Haddam plays the mystery game like a master...Bound to satisfy any reader who likes multiple murders mixed with miraculous apparitions and a perfectly damnable puzzle."-Chicago Tribune on A Great Day for the Deadly

"Haddam keeps her long-running series fresh by developing suspects and victims who are as fascinating and entertaining as her recurring cast...this is one of Haddam's best Demarkian outings yet...riveting!"
-January Magazine on Somebody Else's Music

"News of a new Jane Haddam mystery is music to the ears of her fans...whether it's read as next in the series or a stand-alone, Somebody Else's Music is a standout."-The Drood Review

"A delightful read for lovers of classic crime stories."-Romantic Times on Skeleton Key

"[A] smoothly running mystery marked by lively characters, good descriptions, and enough misdirection to keep a reader's interest high."-Publishers Weekly on Skeleton Key

"A sophisticated style, excellent delivery, and riveting plot make this an excellent choice for all collections."-Library Journal on Skeleton Key

"A real winner...sure to grab readers from the first page...a fine entry in a fine series."-Booklist on Skeleton Key

"Bound to satisfy any reader who likes multiple murders mixed with miraculous apparitions and a perfectly damnable puzzle."-Chicago Tribune on A Great Day for the Deadly

"A rattling good puzzle, a varied and appealing cast, and a detective whose work carries a rare stamp of authority...this one is a treat."-Kirkus Reviews (starred review) on Bleeding Hearts

"Not A Creature Stirring will puzzle, perplex, and please the most discriminating reader."-Murder Ad Lib

"Juicy gossip abounds, tension builds, and all present are suitably suspect as Demarkian expertly wraps up loose ends in this entertaining, satisfying mystery."-Publishers Weekly on Act of Darkness

"An absorbing, good-humored tale complete with vivid characters, multiple murders, and a couple of juicy subplots."-Orlando Sentinel on Bleeding Hearts

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"Haddam's usual deft writing, skillful plotting, and gentle humor...Refreshing and entertaining."-Booklist on Bleeding Hearts

"Go ahead, have this one wrapped and waiting with your name on it."-Detroit Free Press on A Stillness in Bethlehem

"Haddam is a fine and compassionate writer, and Demarkian, the retired chief of the FBI's Behavioral Sciences Unit who now solves crimes in his spare time, is one of the more interesting series leads in the mystery marketplace. It's a pleasure to find a solid mystery combined with engaging discussions of issues outside the genre. A guaranteed winner."-Booklist on True Believers

"Haddam's large cast pulses with petty jealousies, vanities, and fears as they confront the mysteries of life and religion. This is an engrossingly complex mystery that should win further acclaim for its prolific and talented author."-Publishers Weekly (starred review) on True Believers

"Dazzlingly ingenious, Jane Haddam's novels provide style, humor, and philosophy-they're real spellbinders, sparklingly written and smashingly plotted."-Drood Review

"Readers will have lots of fun trying to guess whodunit. A fine entry in a fine series."-Booklist on Skeleton Key

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks (May 4, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312990006
• ISBN-13: 978-0312990008
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #435,433 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #86 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > Genre Fiction > Political

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jane Haddam never ceases to astound me., July 5, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Conspiracy Theory: A Gregor Demarkian Novel (Hardcover)

Conspiracy Theory
Jane Haddam
St. Martin's, June 2003, 277pp.

Anthony Ross is the one of the most powerful and influential bankers in the world, and a member of Philadelphia's "High Society". Gregor Demarkian and Bennis Hannaford are attending a fund-raiser at his home in Bryn Mawr when he is shot to death on the front steps of his own home. Father Tibor Kasparian is the priest at Holy Trinity Armenian Christian Church on Cavanaugh Street, where Gregor and Bennis live. Simultaneously with Anthony Ross' death, a bomb goes off at the church and Father Tibor is injured.

Gregor Demarkian (a long-retired FBI behavioral science expert) is caught between the two crimes. As a witness and possible suspect to the Ross killing, he is asked to cooperate with the authorities, but his heart is on Cavanaugh Street with Fr. Tibor and his neighbors. It is only when Fr. Tibor comes home from the hospital and shows Gregor the obscene letter he received the day of the explosion that Gregor begins to suspect that the two events might somehow be related, although it seems far-fetched, even to him. When Ross' wife Charlotte and an FBI agent join the ranks of the murdered, Gregor is once again in the midst of a high-profile case.

Jane Haddam never ceases to astound me. She has taken the paranoia of Sept 11, conspiracy theories involving the Illuminati, the mind set of the rich and powerful, and the needs of the hangers-on to the Main Line social set, and woven them all into one dizzyingly convoluted mystery - again. And while she's done it, she has explored Philadelphia "society", the mind twists of the conspiracy theorists, and deepened the insight into three of my all-time favorite characters, Gregor, Bennis, and Fr. Tibor. From the deft needling of the CIA to the pointed one-liners scattered throughout the text, no government agency, society matron, fundamentalist, or conspiracy theorist is safe from Jane's barbed wit, and I loved every word, even the ones I wasn't sure I agreed with.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Jane Haddam is always a pleasure, but ..., August 19, 2009

By 

Reader in Matawan - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Conspiracy Theory: A Gregor Demarkian Novel (Gregor Demarkian Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Conspiracy Theory sees Gregor Demarkian tied up in two different problems: the inexplicable bombing of the church down the block (and the injury to his friend Father Tibor) and the contract-style murder of a financial figure at a heavily secured society event.

Haddam uses the story to illustrate the various conspiracy theories roaming the Web: reptilian humans running the world, Masonic orders taking control of the world four or five hundred years ago, CIA mind control, and more. The investigation tracks people involved in these theories and the creation of counter-conspiracies to resist the "evil forces."

Haddam's writing is always a pleasure and her puzzles are usually quite good. Unfortunately the solution of this case involves a mastermind whose abilities to plan a caper and manipulate individuals is on a par with the various theories presented as examples. Haddam has Gregor Demarkian injured in the final standoff, perhaps to create jeopardy to compensate for the plot problem. I just don't find it satisfying, although the story is made of far better stuff than Murder Superior.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent storytelling, July 2, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Conspiracy Theory: A Gregor Demarkian Novel (Hardcover)

He became a legend for his work in the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit, so much so, that when he retired he was asked to consult on some very high profile murder cases in Philadelphia. Gregor Demarkian attends a Main Line charity gathering in Bryn Mawr hosted by one of the most powerful and wealthiest bankers in the world, Tony Ross, who is murdered while greeting guests on the front stairs. Although he is technically a witness or a suspect the local police ask Gregor for help, which he gladly agrees to give.

When he goes home he learns that his church on Cavenaugh Street has been bombed and reduced to rubble. Since he is close to Father Kasparian, Gregor donates his services hoping to catch the perpetrator who did this horrific act. When Tony's wife Charlotte is murdered in a M.O. identical to that of her husband's death, conspiracy literature is found in her house. Gregor feels these three crimes are linked but finding the connection and a viable suspect will take all of his skills and a good deal of luck.

Jane Haddam has a wonderful sense of place and an ability to create fascinating characters. The author peels away the veil and spin doctoring of the very rich and powerful to show that they are not different than the average person in their desires and fears. CONSPIRACY THEORY is fast-paced and brilliantly plotted while displaying how the events of September 11th fit into the mindset of a conspiracy group who believes the Illuminati are controlling the country and moving towards a one world order. This is a mystery that readers will thoroughly enjoy.

Harriet Klausner