Customer Reviews

Six Strokes Under

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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.

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?

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!

I am a beginning golfer, so when I saw this in the book store, it caught my attention right away. It is the story of Cassandra Burdette, an aspiring LPGA golfer who stumbles onto a murder victim. Then she heads of to LPGA Q school (qualifying school) and stumbles onto another murder victim. Naturally, she is a suspect and tries to balance her golf game, with solving the case.

I thought I knew who committed the crimes mid-way through the book, and was surprised in the end who was arrested. However, like all good books, it twists at the end, and the story was redeemed!

I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to read, and not to heard to follow (especially since the author put a glossary of golf terms at the front of the book).

Roberta Isleib hits it straight with her debut mystery, Six Strokes Under. Protagonist Cassie Burdette is on the verge of leaving her hometown of Myrtle Beach to attend Qualifying School for the LPGA Tour when she makes one last visit to her psychiatrist before she goes. Following the appointment, she comes upon the body of the shrink in the next office and immediately becomes a suspect. Too curious to keep a low profile, Cassie gets caught up in the investigation, which involves another hometown female golfer, Kaitlin Rupert - it's her shrink who was murdered - and her recovered memories of sexual abuse by her father. Isleib sends both golfers into a doozy of a bunker as the investigation and the murderer follow them to Q-School, where they really should just be focusing on their games.

As Q-School progresses, Cassie re-connects with an ex-flame, puts up with distracting advances from Kaitlin's brother, and stares down the pressures of high-stakes golf, all the while engaging in her own brand of amateur sleuthing -- especially when she comes across another body. She gets help and moral support from friend and caddie, Laura Snow, as well as golf psychologist Joe Lancaster.

Although Six Strokes Under takes the reader deep into the world of the women's pro golf tour, it's not just for golf lovers. There's a glossary of terms at the beginning of the book -- an absolute necessity for golf dummies like me. Isleib, a clinical psychologist, is at her best when she's working the psychological angles in golf and in the lives of her characters. As a main character, Cassie's got a sharp wit and a lot of heart. I'm looking forward to following her golf career...and keeping score with the bodies she finds along the way.

Cassandra Burdette is trying to make it into the LPGA tour by completing qualifying school, an entry tournament. But just before she leaves, she finds the body of a shrink. Kaitlan Rupert, a local golfer also trying to qualify, was regularly visiting the victim and had recently begun to remember abuse suffered as a child because of her sessions with this shrink. Cassie is able to talk her way out of town even though she's a material witness to the investigation, but then finds herself checking in with a cop who thinks she really killed the guy. Meanwhile, an old boyfriend starts popping up in her life again. And Kaitlan's brother seems interested as well. All this is going to make it very hard to concentrate on the golf tournament.

I enjoyed the book in spite of itself. I had the killer pegged early, and saw several plot points coming before they happened. Given the setting of the story, the book spends a good deal of time on the golf tournament. I'm not a sport person, but I was drawn into those scenes and found them as entertaining as the mystery itself. What redeemed this book the most for me was the characters. Cassie and her two friends Laura and Joe are quite likeable, and it's very easy to root for them.

This book is enjoyable, but it's not what it could have been. I'm looking forward to reading more and hope the author improves the mystery aspect.

Whether or not you're a golfer or a mystery reader, you're sure to enjoy this book as I did! Great writing, creative plot, characters you care about, humorous observations (watch for the "freshness expiration date" line...not many people would think of this!) And the best part is that the ending is not only a nifty surprise but it makes sense so you're not left scratching your head in bewilderment! The day I finished it, I loaned it to a friend. I am neither a golfer nor a mystery reader and I'm already looking forward to this writer's next book. Go ahead and get this book...indulge yourself or someone you like!

Great first book. It was fun to read. The author is very witty and the book is fast paced. A great book for anyone who loves mystery's and golf. Take this one to the beach.

I love the Stephanie Plum, by Janet Evanovich, series and am always on the look out for similar novelists. Roberta Isleib easily hits the mark with the Cassie Burdette series. Fun situations, nutty but lovable characters, witty dialog, and soft boiled mystery make for a great read. No need to even like golf to love this series!

Six Strokes Under is a real winner. You don't have to be a golf fan to enjoy learning about Q-School and how an aspiring golfer pursues her dream. The golf background is blended seamlessly into the story, and the mystery is a page turner. The protagonist is a likeable heroine who readers will root for all the way. The author also makes use of her psychology background, helping the plot and characters to ring true. The Cassie Burdette series is a unique mystery series to keep an eye on, and is different from the other mystery series on the shelves. Golf fans, be sure to add this to your bookshelf, and if you don't like golf, you'll enjoy learning about something new.