The Poison Ivy Murders [Paperback]

William H. Reid (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 10, 2002

The passions at Fields University in New Hampshire run high. When the anatomy professor is cut open, Mike Thatcher is assigned to the case. Evidence points to the plant ecologist, Ruth. But there’s new confusion as murders pile up. Mike immediately meets resistance from the administration. As he battles the resistance, Mike has his own struggles. His sculptures don’t sell, his first wife left him, and he is trapped in his job. The aquatic biologist drowns, and the snake expert is bitten by a bushmaster. Mike falls for Ruth, then discovers she’s the mother of his college- days girlfriend. She committed suicide, and he’s blamed himself for a decade. Using accusations and slim evidence, Mike discovers the university president provides call girls and drugs to corporate donors. This releases a cascade of violence that Mike uses to solve the case. Mike, free of the ghosts of the past, turns to a new life.

Product Details

• Paperback: 191 pages
• Publisher: PublishAmerica (July 10, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591294959
• ISBN-13: 978-1591294955
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.9 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,655,794 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars With biological twists and turns, October 5, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Poison Ivy Murders (Paperback)

William Reid is a scientist, has taught biology in the academic venue, and has taught in Israel. Like any academic, writing was probably something he did in the course of his duties, but he is now going at it full-tilt. His prior offerings include: Eagles Watch and North of Nowhere.

Mike Thatcher is a art graduate of Fields University. He works on the local police force, when he is not taking care of his two children and mother. But when an anatomy professor at Fields is found disemboweled, Mike springs into action as the acute investigator that he is. The faculty are an argumentative and petty lot, but one of them brings back upsetting memories for Mike. The murders continue to pile up, in a disconcertingly personal way as several professors are killed in ways which relate to their fields of research:

"'The important thing is that three of four people have been murdered in a way that, well, fits. The anatomist gets gutted, the aquatic biologist is drowned, and a very big snake catches the herpetologist by the nose.' Derek nodded. 'Three out of four is a relationship, yes.' 'Even Joe's murder was appropriate to his life.'"

The Poison Ivy Murders is written with wit and insight. Mr. Reid presents the academic community as the ivory tower that it is, with some care taken for the jealousies and divisions that spring up between people who are forced to work together for decades. Using his knowledge of various branches of biology, Mr. Reid presents the reader with a Mel Gibson type of hero in Mike Thatcher (square jaw line; great bod) who is struggling to come to terms with his own past, even as he has to face some very unpleasant truths. Mike solves the murder, of course, and the reader is treated to a plot with enough biological twists and turns to resemble some of the best horror and mystery writers of our time. It's also really funny!

Mr. Reid's character portraits are fresh and lovingly drawn. His plot sizzles and keeps the reader on edge. He knows his subject and treats the reader to the world of academic and biology. The ending is somewhat of a surprise, and the denouement is right on the money. All in all, The Poison Ivy Murders is a wonderful effort that contributes much to the mystery genre.

Shelley Glodowski
Reviewer

5.0 out of 5 stars Suspense at Fields University, June 26, 2003

By 

Lola Gentry (Dell City, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Poison Ivy Murders (Paperback)

Poison Ivy Murders proves that William H. Reid has mastered the tools of a good writer. His total concept of writing is second to none.

A gruesome campus murder opens a keg of worms in this small New Hampshire town. Reid's book moves fast as Mike Thatcher goes about in his quest to bring the murderer to justice. His investigation instills fear into the entire University faculty, staff, professors, and several Petersborough citizens. What are they hiding?

Two decades ago, Thatcher himself attended Fields University. His love life is on hold but his detective work has now turned up skeletons from his own past.

Mr. Reid's first hand knowledge of Universities gave him an edge on Poison Ivy Murders. This book is exciting, thrilling, and keeps the reader in suspense. It is well written by a master and suggested for adult reading.

5.0 out of 5 stars Poison Ivy Murders, June 25, 2003

By 

Lola Gentry (Dell City, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Poison Ivy Murders (Paperback)

Poison Ivy Murders proves that William H. Reid has mastered the tools of a good writer. His total concept of writing is second to none.

A gruesome campus murder opens a keg of worms in this small New Hampshire town. Reid's book moves fast as Mike Thatcher goes about in his quest to get the murderer brought to justice. His investigation instills fear into the entire University faculty, staff, professors, and several Petersborough citizens. Many have multiple sins to hide.

Two decades ago, Thatcher himself attended Fields University. His love life is on hold but his work has now turned up skeletons from his own past.

Mr. Reid's first hand knowledge of Universities gave him an edge on Poison Ivy Murders. This book is exciting, thrilling, and keeps the reader in suspense. It is well written by a master and suggested for adult reading.