Customer Reviews

Impulse

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Chosen by Publishers Weekly as one of the six best mysteries of 2006, Impulse involves the reader in two mysteries, one recent, and one from twenty-five years earlier. Frank Meredith Smith, returning to Scott Academy, his Baltimore boarding school, for his fiftieth reunion, has been under suspicion at his Arizona home for four years, ever since his wife Sandy disappeared without a trace. The author of mystery stories and of a successful TV series, Frank has mixed feelings about this reunion. A "Campus Kid," whose father was a well-loved English teacher at Scott, Frank loved the freedom of exploring the 900-acre campus, but he also suffered the loss of his older brother Jack as a direct result of an incident at Scott.

His return to campus is greeted enthusiastically by Brad Stark, Director of Development, who is hoping that he will persuade Frank to make a considerable donation to the school. To keep Frank interested in the school, Stark persuades Frank to investigate and possibly write about the disappearance of four twelve-year-olds who had been part of the 25th reunion class.

The action cuts from scene to scene, sometimes without transitions, as the author presents characters in action. The reader must often fill in the blanks regarding when, where, and who is involved in some of these short scenes, but eventually all connect to the central mysteries. While Frank is in Baltimore, police detectives in Arizona unearth new information about his wife's death. In a conversation with Frank, his daughter Barbara betrays her own uncertainty about her father's role in her mother's disappearance. In the meantime, Rosemary Mitchell, an old friend and fellow "Campus Kid," becomes Frank's assistant investigating the disappearances of the four young boys--or was it five?

The novel is beautifully paced, with both mysteries unfolding simultaneously and keeping the reader constantly involved with the action. Frank is a sympathetic main character, and his daughter Barbara's questions about her mother's death and her father's possible role in it are natural and understandable. Rosemary Mitchell, as Frank's 66-year-old companion, is realistic, not at all Miss Marple-ish, and the complications of the 25-year-old case provide plausible twists regarding the disappearances of the four young boys. Though the writing is not always smooth and the use of transitions between some of the scenes might make the action a bit easier to follow, the mysteries and their resolutions are top-notch. n Mary Whipple

One morning mystery writer Frank Smith's wife went out walking, but never returned home. The police especially the detective in charge believe he killed her for the insurance money. The cops never pursued any other potential suspects concentrating exclusively on Frank.

The writer attends his fiftieth prep school reunion in Maryland having not been on the campus since he graduated because his brother committed suicide after being expelled from there after an accusation by another student. At the school Frank meets his childhood sweetheart Rosemary. The two seniors hit off romantically. Frank is challenged to solve a mystery that has haunted the school for twenty-five years. A group of boys were seen entering Old Oak Woods, but never came out. Frank and Rosemary search the records and interview people when his wife's body is found. Sergeant Ledezma digs deep to prove Frank killed her.

IMPULSE is an entertaining cerebral mystery that contains two simultaneously running investigative subplots. Frederick Ramsey effortlessly guides his audience back and forth between the police inquiry and Frank's prep school case keeping readers' attention on both. The protagonist proves that life continues in spite of the clouds hanging over him and his advancing years. Mr. Ramsey tells a strong tale that keeps fans guessing whether Frank did it or not until the final moment.

Harriet Klausner

Yesterday I didn't know who Frederick Ramsay was. Today I've finished the first of many books I will read that he has written--what a pleasant surprise to discover this knowledgeable, polished writer.

To begin with, Frederick Ramsay is a skilled prose craftsman. He knows how to construct a graceful sentence, set a meaningful scene, create characters who have depth and human-ness, and tangle two plot lines which merge and become one. I enjoyed the setting as well--all the more because it described my own backyard of Northwestern Michigan (Benzie and Leelanau Counties) and the people who live here--as well as the visitors we experience in the form of tourists and seasonal residents.

And finally it's enjoyable because the main character, Frank Smith, is of my age (old!!!) with all the attendent creaks and groans and fears. Frank also doesn't undergo any of the typical trite conventions of the current crop of detectives--he isn't run off the road by a large black truck and he doesn't get in a slugfest (well, almost not) with the town drunks.

He does return to his 50th class reunion, discover an old flame, and solve the mystery of the disappearance of four students some 25 years before.

Enjoyable. Erudite. In fact, "Impluse" is masterful. I recommend it.

First Sentence: Frank Smith stepped to one side at the top of the escalator.

Four years' ago, the wife of Arizona mystery author Frank Smith went for a walk and disappeared leaving Frank the number one suspect.

Frank's father had been a teacher and Frank a resident student at Scott Academy in Maryland. He has never been back but decides to return for his 50th class reunion. Because it is assumed Frank is wealth, he is targeted by the fun raising chairman for a large donation.

Instead he accepts a challenge to solve the mystery of four boys who went into the school's woods 25 years ago and were never seen again.

It is rather refreshing to have protagonists who are 60+ and more cerebral than daring. Frank Smith and his friend Rosemary are wonderful characters who enable the author a platform on which to talk about aging and our perceptions of older; i.e., experienced, adults but without being preachy about it.

I particularly enjoyed Rosemary's conversations with her inner self. Frank's daughter was realistically portrayed, if a bit annoying and spoke to children's often unrealistic view of their parent's financial status while treating them as children. As for the other characters, they were a lot of them; they were stereotypical.

The book is well written and plot interesting. The POV changed frequently which did cause come confusion. While I enjoyed the book, I kept thinking my mother would love it as there is no violence, sex or profanity.

This was my third Ramsay mystery, after being entranced by his "Secrets". It's a wonderful story, populated with very well captured characters, a fine (50 year high school reunion) setting, and two intriguing puzzles, both very satisfactorily resolved.

Frederick Ramsay's IMPULSE presents murder mystery writer Frank Smith as a protagonist, whose goal is to attend his 50th class reunion even under the shadow of the mysterious disappearance of his wife and the pursuit of an officer convinced he's a murderer. As if this wasn't enough, Frank faces another, older mystery at his reunion - and the reunion of classmates leads to some dangerous encounters and newfound truths. The blended streams of mystery plots make for complex - and exciting - twists and turns.

This is a great story and has some acute observations on ageing along with some interesting mystery twists.