Seven Kinds of Death [Paperback]

Kate Wilhelm (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1994

Former arson detective Charlie Meiklejohn and psychologist Constance Leidl team up to investigate sculptor Marion Olsen's artist's colony when bodies begin turning up there. Original.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Adroitly meshing the worlds of commerce and art, this complex mystery calls for husband-and-wife investigators Charlie Meiklejohn and Constance Leidl to muster all their maturity, shrewdness and intuition. In a party at her Maryland farmhouse, their old friend Marion ("Tootles") Olson celebrates the launch of her art tour and the imminent opening of her second husband Max Buell's condominiums, built just a brisk walk from the house. But the evening turns tragic. Tootle's sculptures are vandalized and the strangled body of a guest, highly regarded art magazine editor Victoria Leeds, is discovered in one of Max's condominiums. Charlie and Constance interview several of the partygoers and learn that an earlier death at the condo site, first seen as an accident, is linked to Victoria's murder. John Buell, Tootles's chronically sullen stepson and his partner in the condo construction business, might be implicated. While Wilhelm ( And the Angels Sing ) deftly leads her clever sleuths through an intricate plot, a heavy dose of the occult muddies the waters, and many skimpily developed characters refuse to come to life.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From AudioFile

Bernadette Dunne is a great choice for this mystery revolving around black magic and murder in an isolated artists' colony. "Seven Kinds of Death" is the name of a famous sculpture done by the leader of this group, who may be tapped into the supernatural as her powers ebb. Dunne perfectly captures the tension felt by investigator Charlie Meiklejohn and his partner and wife, Constance Leidl, a psychologist, as they delve into the group's use of the occult. Dunne creates convincing and varied voices for a wide cast of characters in what is essentially a locked-room mystery. Her pacing and attention to detail make this an entertaining and satisfying puzzle. D.G. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Leisure Books (Mm) (February 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0843935707
• ISBN-13: 978-0843935707
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,163,391 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Born in 1928, Kate Wilhelm the author of more than thirty novels including Where Late the Sweet Bird Sang and The Unbidden Truth. Her work has been adapted for TV and film and translated into twenty languages. She has been awarded the Prix Apollo, Kurd Lasswitz, Hugo, Nebula, and Locus Awards. In 2003, she was inducted into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. Her short fiction appeared in landmark anthologies such as Again Dangerous Visions, Orbit, The Penguin Book of Modern Fantasy by Women, and The Norton Book of Science Fiction. A cofounder of the Clarion Writers' Workhops, she continues to host monthly writing workshops in Eugene, Oregon.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Any Kate Wilhelm mystery is worth a read, December 30, 2006

By 

Don't believe it just because someone told yo... - See all my reviews

This review is from: Seven Kinds of Death (Paperback)

While this may not be the strongest of Kate Wilhelm's mysteries, it is still worth a read. I have read just about every mystery that this author has written. The sad part is that there are several books that she has written that are out of print, so you will have to go to other sites to find them used, or on auction.

This author has written sci-fi and mysteries for a good many years and I find her mysteries to be my favorites. If you like some of the newer female mystery writers you should give Kate Wilhelm a try. She is a local Oregon writer, so most of her works are centered in Oregon (Eugene in particular). Her Barbara Holloway series is quite good, but I also have to recommend Skeletons. It is one of my favorites. I really enjoy the Constance and Charlie series too. Too bad she doesn't write about them anymore.

You can usually find her books in a used bookstore, or online, and they are worth reading. If you enjoy local mystery writers, give her books a try.