The Doctor Digs a Grave (Doctor Fenimore Mysteries) [Mass Market Paperback]

Robin Hathaway (Author)

Book Description

Series: Doctor Fenimore Mysteries | Publication Date: April 15, 1999

Available for house calls-- and homicide...

When cardiologist Dr. Andrew Fenimore isn't mending weak hearts, he's solving crimes in Philadelphia's wealthy Society Hill. But murder is the last thing the good doctor expects when he befriends a teenage boy trying to bury his dead cat. As the two dig a grave for the cat's final resting place in a vacant lot-- which happens to be an ancient burial ground-- they discover a fresh corpse, buried feet flexed, facing east, according to Lenape Indian tradition.

Fenimore's P.I. pastime starts to become a distinct health hazard as he and his young sidekick follow the trail of the deceased young woman straight to the son of a colleague, one of Philadelphia's most prominent surgeons. Surely the scion of a fine old Philadelphia family and his Indian fiancee ignited some powerful passions. But are they enough to risk trying for the perfect murder in a place where civility rules with an iron fist in a velvet glove?

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

St. Martin's Press nourishes the mystery genre's roots by giving out an annual Malice Domestic Award for what it labels "Best First Traditional Mystery." The hero of its 1997 winner would certainly seem to fit that category: at first glance, Dr. Andrew Fenimore could come straight from a book by Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers. A Philadelphia physician who dabbles in criminal investigation, Dr. Fenimore manages to be both sharp and soothing as he digs, literally, into the mystery of why the body of a recently deceased young Native American woman came to be buried, sitting up, in an ancient tribal graveyard. It's only as we become better acquainted with Dr. Fenimore and his colorful band of associates that we see what Robin Hathaway is really up to: she uses the boundaries of the traditional mystery to contain a very modern story about social and cultural change. But of course that's also what Sayers and Christie were up to in their time. Welcome to the club, Robin Hathaway. --Dick Adler --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal

YA-Hathaway introduces sleuth cardiologist Dr. Andrew Fenimore, whose expert medical knowledge helps unravel the mysterious death of a Lenape woman. When Fenimore spots a street kid named Horatio unsuccessfully trying to bury his dead cat in a public park on Philadelphia's affluent Society Hill, he befriends the youth and offers to help him lay his pet to rest in what is rumored to be an ancient burial ground of the Lenape. Descendants of this East Coast tribe still live in the eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey area. While burying the animal, the doctor and Horatio stumble upon the body of a young girl who is buried in an upright position facing east as is traditional with the Lenape. From this curious discovery, Hathaway's novel weaves the forgotten culture of this tribe, the doctor's unconventional avocation as a P.I., and a cast of lovable but eccentric characters into a well-crafted tale of suspense. Young adults will enjoy this witty novel that illuminates in wonderful detail the little-known ways of the Lenape and introduces a physician-detective who is expected to reappear in forthcoming novels.
Pat Bangs, Fairfax County Public Library, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Dead Letter; 2nd edition (April 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312967039
• ISBN-13: 978-0312967031
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #781,991 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

BIO: Robin Hathaway

Robin Hathaway began writing at fifty and collected rejection slips until she was sixty, when her novel THE DOCTOR DIGS A GRAVE won the St. Martin's Malice Domestic prize, and later an Agatha Award. She now has two series both featuring doctor sleuths. Dr. Andrew Fenimore is a Philadelphia cardiologist who practices solo and still makes house calls. Jo Banks is a young woman doctor who provides healthcare to motel residents and makes her motel calls on a motorcycle. SLEIGHT OF HAND, her most recent in this series, won the 2009 David Award. Robin is not a doctor, but her husband is a cardiologist and she uses him shamelessly as her #1 medical resource. Right now Robin is taking a break from her two series to work on a spy novel set at Cape May during WWII. www.RobinHathaway.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a thoroughly engrossing read., August 4, 1998

By 

Jim Flosdorf ([e-mail]) (Temagami, Ont. and Troy, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Doctor Digs a Grave (Hardcover)

The Doctor Digs a Grave by Robin Hathaway is well-written and thoroughly engrossing, with a fascinating plot and interesting characters. I got a great kick out of the wry (and sly) humor, and the light satire -- on City Society, doctors, PC language, pretentiousness in general, and finally, the punning title of the book. As the book progressed it certainly had me spinning a lot of theories about who-what-when-where. The details were fascinating (the native culture, esp.); the blind alleys were fun, and the resolution of the slipper saga was great! The story was skillfully told and the pacing was very good. The characters were excellently done, effectively drawn, but with precision and economy. The author fully deserved the award she won with the book!! Another thing I should mention is that Hathaway, in the tradition of other great mystery writers, shows that she can tell a tale of crime and punishment without resorting to huge amounts of gratuitous vi! olence, which is the plague of most of our "culture" right now.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice quick read, April 17, 2001

By 

Louise C. Stone (Sunland, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Doctor Digs a Grave (Doctor Fenimore Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

I found this a perfect book for a busy weekend. Never one to be without a book, I was intrigued by the title and decided to give it a try. I enjoyed my find. The doctor and Mrs. Doyle have a very believable relationship and I like the way Dr. Fenimore studies his subjects and reports to the reader. The calmness of his personality is infectious. Nice quick read.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Totally engrossing read!, November 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Doctor Digs a Grave (Doctor Fenimore Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Bravo Robin Hathaway! I could not put this book down and took it with me everywhere until I finished it. The characters in Hathaway's first novel are likeable and engaging. At first I was a bit apprehensive about a doctor and his young sidekick, but Hathaway pulls it off beautifully without falling into that formula one might expect with a mentor/student type relationship.

The plot moved at a very enjoyable pace with just enough character development to keep the read hooked.

I can't wait for the next Hathaway novel.