Old Poison: A Diana Hunter Mystery [Paperback]

Joan Francis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 20, 2003

Private Eye Diana Hunter knows better than to get involved with an unlikely document called the Martian Diary, but curiosity conquers common sense and she is soon confronted with an unprovoked attack and unexplained death. These deadly realities force her to answer the question: Why would anyone take the Martian Diary seriously enough to kill for it? From the New Mexico desert to the rain forest of Costa Rica, with mean streets in between, it's Sam Spade meets global warming. Environmentalists, crackpots, and clandestine corporate agents create a toxic brew of high-octane action where unearthed truths and misplaced trust could get you killed. An expert in disguise, with a face people trust, Diana will need all her instincts and investigative skills to stay alive and unmask the killer.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Joan Francis, the daughter of a mining engineer, is a private eye whose career began as a newspaper reporter. Her debut eco-thriller, Old Poison, is enriched by her experiences in mining camps from the Southwest to South America and by her eye for detail, environmental awareness, insatiable curiosity, and reporter's nose for news.

Product Details

• Paperback: 215 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (April 20, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595274889
• ISBN-13: 978-0595274888
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,216,637 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joan Francis is a licensed private investigator and has also worked as a librarian and a newspaper reporter. She spent her childhood in small mining towns and camps in the western United States and in South America with her two sisters, mother, and mining engineer father. Moving from place to place as her father opened up new mine sites, she attended fifteen schools before graduating with a B.A. in history from the University of Washington. Married with three grown children, she and her husband now live in a secluded mountain valley in California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Three book series written backward, May 29, 2011

By 

[e-mail] (Southern California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Old Poison: A Diana Hunter Mystery (Paperback)

Having now read all three books in the "Diana Hunter" series in the order of publication, I find Francis is writing backwards. Each book covers an earlier period of Hunter's life. No matter, I'm now waiting for the next one. I can't wait to read about her husband and how that marriage developed and ended! Each book is full of plot twists and unexpected developments.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read. A real page turner., January 10, 2010

By 

R. Ridgway "Author Reggie Ridgway" (bakersfield, CA, United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Old Poison: A Diana Hunter Mystery (Paperback)

This Diana Hunter mystery reminds me of some other novels I have enjoyed with equal enthusiam. The characters are well written and believable. I enjoyed being taken to another place with rich scenery and plot elements. Diana is a private investigator who is brought in to help in the quest for a new fuel which will revolutionize the world. A mystery envelops her when someone she is asked to question turns up murdered and Diana herself is questioned. She now has to prove her innocence and is being pursued by the killers. The action takes us to a tropical location in a forest and she is again put into danger. I loved how she is able to survive by wit and courage and using 007 style tricks as opposed to shoot and ask questions later action. Read this and tell your friends as Joan Francis is a great author with mass appeal like Sue Grafton.

5.0 out of 5 stars A very smart mystery from an intelligent PI, December 25, 2003

By 

Barbara A. Montgomery "dsembodied" (Tehachapi, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Old Poison: A Diana Hunter Mystery (Paperback)

Joan Francis' book Old Poison has a heckuva lot going for it. An intriguing set of characters, a great plot, timely material, clever set dressing and lots more. I liked her female PI protagonist a lot and it's because Francis knows her stuff - she was a PI herself. Learn what it takes to be a sucessful modern PI and what kind of sleazebags you can run up against. Highly recommended.