Death Train to Boston: A Fremont Jones Mystery (Fremont Jones Mysteries) [Mass Market Paperback]

Dianne Day (Author)

Book Description

Series: Fremont Jones Mysteries | Publication Date: July 5, 2000

Autumn 1908 finds Caroline Fremont Jones and her partner in love and work, Michael Kossoff, traveling incognito, riding the rails from San Francisco to Boston. The railroad hired the sleuthing couple to investigate a series of accidents. But before they can solve the mystery, they become victims of the worst mishap yet when their train blows up near Salt Lake City. Was it a callous act of vandalism-or something even more sinister? Michael isn't about to let his injuries slow down his search for answers...or for Fremont, who has not been seen since the accident-dead or alive.

Fortunately, the badly injured Fremont was rescued from the train's wreckage. But her unlikely savior, the leader of a breakaway Mormon sect, has hidden her away in his remote wilderness community. It seems that Melancthon Pratt has big plans for Fremont...not the least of which is for her to become his sixth wife. Now Fremont's only hope is that her genius for artifice will help her devise an escape. That is, unless Michael, shadowed by an old nemesis and a mysterious stranger, can find her before a heartless killer claims both their lives.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This swift and upbeat story features Fremont Jones, scion of a distinguished Boston family, and Michael Kossoff, a Russian nobleman and spy for the czar, who, in the fifth in this series (after Emperor Norton's Ghost), are continuing not only as passionate (but discreet) lovers but also as partners in their own San Francisco-based PI agency. Jones and Kossoff, traveling incognito on a case for the Southern and Union Pacific Railroad in the fall of 1908, are separated after a deliberately caused train wreck in Utah's Wasatch mountains. Michael, suffering a broken collarbone, searches for Fremont in vain: she has been abducted from the site by Melancthon Pratt, a fanatical Mormon who has five wives and is determined to make the lustrous Fremont his sixth. Secluded in a stark room, incapacitated by two broken legs, the shrewd and imaginative young woman beguiles the other wives and keeps the single-minded Pratt at bay. While Michael uses his considerable skillsAa background in espionage enhanced by a sixth senseAto search for Fremont, he runs into malevolent figures from his past who have murder on their minds. The basic mysteryAwho is sabotaging the railroad and whyAdoesn't seem to matter, as the ongoing adventures of the sharply defined and appealing cast of characters carry the lively story. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

Searching for train vandals, historical series heroine Fremont Jones (Emperor Norton's Ghost) and her partner, Michael, separately survive a train wreck in Utah only to fall victim to worse dangers. A devout Mormon "rescues" the injured Fremont, while past enemies pursue Michael. Great storytelling and early-20th-century atmosphere.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (July 5, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553580558
• ISBN-13: 978-0553580556
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.7 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #926,852 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Quite as Good as the Previous Fremont Jones Mysteries, July 9, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Death Train to Boston: A Fremont Jones Mystery (Fremont Jones Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

I have read all of the books in the Fremont Jones series. I was a little disappointed in "Death Train to Boston", mostly due to the change in writing style. Without giving too much away, Fremont is injured in a train wreck at the onset of the book ~ this results in her character being very passive throughout the story. I prefer the previous novels where Fremont has a more active role. Also, the book constantly flips back and forth from Fremont to Michael, which keeps you reading but can be frustrating. Just when something interesting is about to happen, the action flips to the other character. The good side of this, however, is that the reader gets to see more into Michael's feelings for Fremont.

Overall a very good book, and definitely worth reading. It's just not up to speed with the previous novels in the series.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A worthy continuation in an interesting series., October 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Death Train to Boston: A Fremont Jones Mystery (Fremont Jones Mysteries) (Hardcover)

One of the things that makes the Fremont Jones mysteries so interesting is that the characters are constantly evolving. Another is that the locations often change as well; thus, we're spared the routine similarities between novels in other series. In this, the fifth installment, Fremont and her partner/lover Michael are seperated by an explosion on board a train, while on a case. Fremont is kidnapped by a menacing Mormon intent on making her the sixth of his wives. With both legs broken by the explosion, she must resort to her wiles and powers of persuasion to escape from his clutches. We are back in Study In Scarlet country here. Meanwhile, Michael Kassoff searches desperately for Fremont, while simultaneously eluding an old enemy, and trying to determine who is so deter- mined to kill them that he'd blow up an entire train. Also, he must put up with the wiles of Fremont's friend, Meiling, who has her undergone a few changes of her own. Great fun, as are all the Fremont Jones myste- ries. This is a worthy continuation in an inter- esting series.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars For die-hard Fremont fans only., May 29, 2000

By 

Sharon Wylie (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Death Train to Boston: A Fremont Jones Mystery (Fremont Jones Mysteries) (Hardcover)

This book is a western, not a mystery. It tries to be a mystery, but it relies too heavily on events that happened earlier in the series. In other words, if you haven't read the rest of the series, you have no chance to solve this one and probably won't care enough to try.

Fremont's captivity is disturbing and dull, and I am not interested enough in the supporting characters to enjoy an entire book with them at center stage. Everyone seems to act out of character in this book, and it doesn't help that none of them are quite in step with the time period either. How could it have taken so long for women to get the vote with so many bold adventuresses on the loose?

I loved the first two books in this series, but was disappointed in the last one and EXTREMELY disappointed in this one. Dianne Day may have only one chance left with this reader.