Old Silver (Michael Tanner) [Library Binding]

Carl Brookins (Author)

Book Description

Series: Michael Tanner | Publication Date: February 2005

A misplaced letter, a brass engine plate and an unplanned murder launch Tanner and Mary Whitney into their third adventure. Old Silver takes place on and under the icy waters of Lake Superior, in the corporate halls of Duluth, and in the brawling streets of Chicago, at the dawn of the Twentieth Century.

Editorial Reviews

Review

One of the most unusual plots I've ever encountered, with lots of twists and turns. The characters are beautifully portrayed. -- Eden Embler in I Love A Mystery newsletter, May, 2005

The lure of sunken treasure and the greed of corrupt families. Takes you places you never thought you'd go! -- Don Bruns, author of Jamaica Blue and Barbados Heatd

Product Details

• Library Binding: 259 pages
• Publisher: Top Publications (February 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1929976321
• ISBN-13: 978-1929976324
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,489,571 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Retired from a local university, I've entered a new career as a reviewer and author. The Michael Tanner/Mary Whitney sailing adventure series (INNER PASSAGESS, A SUPERIOR MYSTERY, OLD SILVER) are my initial foray.

Now I'm branching out with a new series featuring a Twin Cities detective named Sean NMI Sean. His first story is THE CASE OF THE GREEDY LAWYERS. I live and work in Minnesota and travel with that nefarious band of authors called the Minnesota Crime Wave.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brookins does it again, July 5, 2005

By 

Sidney Jackson (White Bear Lake, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Old Silver (Michael Tanner) (Library Binding)

Carl Brookins has once again brought his vast knowledge of sailing to his second Mary Whitney and Michael Tanner mystery. Set in Northern Minnesota, with Lake Superior as a backdrop, "Old Silver" starts off with the discoveries of a hundred year old letter and a brass plate from a sunken ship called the Amador. Whitney and Tanner's investigation draws them ever deeper into a past era of corruption and crime involving high society. Someone wants the letter bad enough to attempt murder.
Terrific sailing scenes, the hunt for sunken treasure, and a murderer or murderers on the loose, make for a suspenseful read this summer. Don't miss out on Carl Brookins' "Old Silver."-C. C. Canby, author: "Masks of Murder."

5.0 out of 5 stars One heck of an Mystery!, August 31, 2006

By 

Karen L. Syed "Karen" (Laurel, MD) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Old Silver (Michael Tanner) (Library Binding)

Brookins has a flair for taking readers into the thick of things. The old deceptions, bad blood, and fresh wounds of "Old Silver" make for an outstanding romp of an adventure. The unique story blends well with the dark intrigue and lets the reader experience the best of both. Who doesn't wonder at the thought of lost treasure and dream of one day finding it? Exceptional characters pull you along through the story, right to the very end!

5.0 out of 5 stars Carl Brookins Weaves Another Good One ---Old Silver, July 28, 2006

By 

Kevin Tipple (Plano, Texas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Old Silver (Michael Tanner) (Library Binding)

Michael Tanner and Mary Whitney return in this top flight cozy mystery set for most part on the waters of Lake Superior. It is there that while sailing with friends Mary Whitney during a snorkeling trip finds and brings to the surface an old metal plate, probably from the boiler, stamped with the word "Amador" on it. Little does she know that it comes from a ship that sank during a storm in 1905 and theoretically went down somewhere off Sand Island which is nowhere near where she has recovered the plate.

Packed with cargo and family heirlooms of the deVoles the sinking caused a search to be mounted more than once but nothing was found. By finding the plate, Mary has stumbled across an old mystery and possibly a reference point for the shipwreck. The ship went down 100 years ago taking some dark secrets with it. As Mary and Michael start asking a few questions and a person cataloging a recent donation of papers from the family is killed, it becomes clear that there is certainly at least one if not several secrets that someone is trying to keep hidden. Whomever is behind the scenes orchestrating events seems to be willing to stop at nothing, even murder, to prevent them from coming out.

Opposite in tone and style from his novel, "The Case of the Greedy Lawyers," humor is in short supply in this cozy style novel. Most of the violence happens off scene with the majority of the focus on asking questions from a variety of sources and suspects. This novel slowly builds a chain of clues together as Michael Tanner and Mary Whitney hunt for the shipwreck itself as well as the family secrets. The result is an engrossing 259 page read in large paperback with a great depth of detail, rich characterizations, and a very good mystery tale.


Kevin R. Tipple (copyright)2006