The Sterling Inheritance (Mass Market Paperback)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: The Sterling Inheritance, Michael Siverling, Malcolm Sterling (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Siverling's day job is with the Sacramento County, Calif., District Attorney's office abduction team that recovers kidnapped children, but the engaging first mystery for which he won a St. Martin's/Private Eye Writers of America award has nothing to do with abducted children. What it does have is an interesting mother and son team of PIs, Victoria and Jason Wilder. Mom is a formidable former police detective who keeps a one-eyed German shepherd named Beowulf and runs the Midnight Investigation Agency. She provides employment for some retired cop colleagues and her 20-something son, a would-be rock guitarist, who has trouble getting enough work in their hometown of River City and who, despite his grumbling, likes and is quite good at being a private dick. (His late father was also a cop, so it's in his blood.) Mother and son have a brisk though affectionate relationship: when she says "I love you son," he replies, "I'm moderately fond of you, too, lady." The plot, like the title, has Raymond Chandler overtones, including a wealthy family, a soft son accused of murder and a tough, disillusioned older sister. But Siverling adds enough clever modern touches, especially in the relationship between Victoria and Jason, to make this look like the start of a promising series.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

Private Investigator Jason Wilder has the toughest boss in River City. His own mother. And given the choice, he'd rather just play guitar. But gigs are sometimes few and far between in a middle-sized city. Jason's lucky that his parents not only taught him the tricks of the detective trade, but have been willing to provide him with a day job (that often turns into a day-and-night job) between engagements. Life with his mother is adventurous, no denying that. From a routine search for the man who pulled a knife on him to exploding offices, continual arrests, a mysterious woman who keeps bobbing up, a dilapidated theater, and a grisly murder, Jason's life keeps getting more complicated. But at least he's gotten a music job out of it. Or has he? Filled with great characters and ongoing action, and spiced with low-key humor, this debut mystery will have readers and critics alike singing Siverling's praises. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 321 pages
• Publisher: Leisure Books (November 27, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0843960027
• ISBN-13: 978-0843960020
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,008,163 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Strong writing and interesting mother/son relationship, November 20, 2004

By	booksforabuck "BooksForABuck.com" (Dallas) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

This review is from: The Sterling Inheritance (Hardcover)

It's an ordinary missing person case--a woman reported her husband missing--and private detective Jason Wilder could have solved it in his sleep. But when the missing man tries to shoot him, complains that 'they' were going to kill him, and then turns up to be the lead suspect in a murder case, Wilder figures that this might be more than a run-of-the-mill missing person case after all.

Working with the other members of the Midnight Investigative Agency (headed by his mother), Wilder uncovers hints of attempted arson, booby-traps, the Russian mafia, and a beautiful woman who just might be the real killer after all.

Author Michael Silverling's strong writing kept me involved with the plot. The hint of romance and strange relationship between Wilder and his mother added to the character and deepened the mystery plot. I thought there were a few holes in the mystery (the biggest being the motive for the first murder victim), and it was a bit too easy to guess the killer's identity, but the overall this was a fully enjoyable read.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars strong urban Noir, June 30, 2004

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

This review is from: The Sterling Inheritance (Hardcover)

Russian expatriate Katerina Sterling hires the Midnight Detective Agency to find her missing husband, financial investor Anthony. His mom Victoria, owner of the private sleuth company, assigns the search to her son part-time investigator Jason Wilder. The relatively easy job turns ugly when Anthony pulls out a gun on Jason, who disarms the man. The River City police arrive almost immediately and quickly handcuff Jason until he is able to clear things up.

Anthony, insisting someone wants to kill him, is accused of murder until he too is found dead. Jason makes inquiries into the deaths thinking in terms of the Russian connection or the wealthy Sterling link as best bets. As Jason checks into the ties to the deceased, he is attracted to Anthony's sister Janice and starts thinking with his wrong head. Thank goodness Mommy Dearest would never let any harm come to her boy as she would not want to think she wasted nine hours in labor, but will Queen Victoria be able to get Anthony to look at the gig a bit differently.

Readers will enjoy this urban Noir starring a host of delightful characters. The relationships that Jason has fostered including the one with his dynamic mother are off beat, quirky and it is fun to observe the give and take. In many ways, Victoria steals the show with her cynical love for her son. The case is well written and clever, but it is the cast that explains why Mike Siverling won the St. Martin's 2002 Best First Private Eye Mystery contest.

Harriet Klausner

4.0 out of 5 stars the sterling inheritance, July 12, 2009

By	M. A. Kessler (carmichael california) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I received the book from a used book vender within 4 or 5 days.
Thank you.