Heirs and Parents: An Andrew Broom Mystery (Andrew Broom Mysteries) (Hardcover)

by Ralph McInerny (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
The creator of Father Dowling returns to the small town of Wyler, Ind., for the sixth in his series of pleasantly low-key tales (Body and Soil, Savings and Loam, etc.) featuring lawyer Andrew Broom. When beautiful blonde college student Helga Bjornsen is discovered with her throat slit in a car in Overlook Cemetery, suspicion falls on faded high school football star and ladies' man Will Foley, the cemetery's groundskeeper. The previous summer, Will couldn't keep his eyes off Helga, whom he'd hired to help tend the grounds. Soon after the murder investigation gets underway, the folk of Wyler gather to mourn wealthy benefactor Stanley Waggoner, who'd been deranged during the last five years of his life. At his funeral a mysterious young woman, clad in black, says she's the old man's widow. Various other parties have claims on the Waggoner estate, represented by the wily Frank McGough, Broom's nemesis. When it appears that Waggoner's heirs are dying in odd circumstances, Broom and his nephew, Gerald Rowan, go into action and eventually root out the truth behind Helga's murder. Though he provides little suspense (seasoned mystery readers won't be misled by a lame red herring), McInerny nevertheless spins an enjoyable yarn of smalltown murder, in which the least likely suspect (who literally comes out of left field) turns out to be the killer. (June)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
McInerny is known mainly for his Father Dowling series, but he is also the author of six novels starring Andrew Broom, a lawyer in the small northern Indiana city of Wyler (a thinly disguised version of the author's hometown of South Bend). This latest in the series, which offers a decidedly American take on the British village mystery, starts off with the murder of Helga Bjornsen, a lovely college student and Andrew's summer intern. Broom learns that Helga was the victim of a nude-modeling scam: her image appears on pornographic Web sites and e-mails sent to male students. Meanwhile, Andrew is defending the wife of a recently deceased philanthropist, who is challenging her husband's will. When it turns out that the philanthropist was Helga's father, the two cases come together in startling fashion. McInerny tells a compelling story. He's particularly good at depicting the various socioeconomic strata of America's smaller cities. A well-plotted and fast-paced entry in a charming series. Stuart Miller
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Minotaur; 1st edition (June 6, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031220311X
• ISBN-13: 978-0312203115
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,291,540 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Though few&far between, this mystery has its moments, May 18, 2000

By	Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews (#1 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

On the surface, Wyler, Indiana is a quiet town where everyone knows their neighbors. Homes and cars are never locked and the crime rate is so low it is statistically insignificant. Beneath the veneer of friendliness, Wyler shares much of the social ills beleaguering the nation. There are two competent attorneys living in town, Andrew Broom and Frank McGough, who loath each other. Their feelings towards one other causes Andrew's partner, and Frank's daughter to hide their romance.

Two events shake up the townsfolk. Someone slashes the throat of Andrew's law clerk with her corpse found inside the car of cemetery worker Will Foley. Since the married Will also had an affair with the victim, the police have enough circumstantial evidence to arrest Will. Andrew's nephew accepts the defense role because he believes his client is being framed.

The town is also burying its wealthiest citizens. Frank is handling the affluent estate, but Andrew throws a curve when he produces the grieving widow with a will that gives the multi-million dollar estate to her. The feud is just starting to heat up between Frank and Andrew.

HEIRS AND PARENTS, the sixth Broom novel, retains the fun and enjoyment of the previous five as it highlights Midwestern small town life in a wholesome way. The rivalry between the lawyers is amusing even as it ties together the well-developed double plot lines. Ralph McInerny, author of the Father Dowling mysteries, shows his abilities by using this elaborate technique to develop a delightful novel that enhances a strong series.

Harriet Klausner