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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I can't wait for Isleib's next!, July 9, 2002
This review is from: Six Strokes Under (Paperback)
Roberta Isleib's debut novel, SIX STROKES UNDER, marks the introduction of a great new talent in the mystery field. Cassie Burdette is a spunky, intelligent woman with baggage - difficult relationships with her parents, failed and unrequited love affairs,and dreams never realized. She has decided that she will make her one and only stab at making the LPGA tour despite the odds against her. Before she leaves for the tournament (Q-School), she stumbles upon a murdered psychologist who just happens to be the controversial therapist for two of her competitors. As Cassie tries to compete for the chance of a lifetime, she is dogged by the police, her past, and an ever deepening mystery surrounding the small group of young, ambitious golfers. I could not put this book down once I started it. Isleib writes extraordinarily well, with sentences that flow and characters that engage. Although at times I questioned Cassie's and the police's logic, the story and the characters have the solid, believable feel of reality. The pacing is impeccable - never slow, never rushed. Despite the label above the title that proclaims this "A Golf Lover's Mystery," this book should appeal not only to golfers but to all who love a good mystery. Readers will be eagerly awaiting the next installment in a promising series.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Six Strokes Under review, August 3, 2004
This review is from: Six Strokes Under (Paperback)
Amazing! Roberta Isleib has not only written a mystery which held me till the last page, she has also produced a golf pro I can identify with-we both use a 3-wood off the tee thanks to disastrous transitory relationships with drivers.
Considering the awe with which we golfers regard pros, that achievement's right up there with playing a par round.
In `Six Strokes Under' Cassie Burdett is struggling to get her card for the pro tour. One of the other golfers at tour school is murdered (as is her psychiatrist) and Cassie (a prime suspect) is forced to solve the murders to continue playing. (Personally, I think solving a murder would be the perfect way to calm your nerves on the fairways and greens and Roberta Isleib could be on to something here. You've got to have a great imagination and sound problem-solving skills to manoeuvre your way successfully around 18 holes, qualities also necessary for unravelling mysteries. Untangling a murder would keep your mind off your flying right elbow and dangling left heel, forcing you to rely on muscle memory, and therefore swing sweeter.)
If you're not a golfer, don't dismiss this novel as `only for golfers'. The golfing background is a bonus for golfers but will not detract from the enjoyment of non-golfers. The golf course is a setting for the mystery, just as a convent or worm farm or any other `place' will work for murder.
I particularly enjoyed Cassie's wicked sense of humour and look forward to reading the rest of the series to see how she develops.
I'm dying to find out, will she ever find a driver she can bond with?
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Fast-Paced Read, August 2, 2002
This review is from: Six Strokes Under (Paperback)
Even if the only golf you play is of the miniature variety, you'll enjoy Six Strokes Under, a fast-paced amatuer slueth mystery. Robert Isleib has created an immensely likable protagonist in Cassie Burdette, as aspiring LPGA golfer with a cart-load of insecurities hobbling her game. Isleib's professional background as a psychologist pays off in the well-developed, complex characters she has created. No cardboard cliches here--even the minor characters are richly drawn. Cassie's efforts to overcome her demons and play well enough to earn a spot on the LPGA tour add drama to this well-plotted tale of sexual abuse, repressed memories, ruthless ambition and murder. Read it!
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