Stream of Death: An Ed McAvoy Mystery (Hardcover)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Tying together a Sicilian pendant stolen during WWII, a triple murder and jewel heist in Detroit in the recent past, as well as buried treasure and murder in the present-day Catskills, Bill Stackhouse introduces a strong, likable new police hero in his debut novel, Stream of Death: An Ed McAvoy Mystery. When the body of an older man befriended by McAvoy's girlfriend's teenage son turns up in a river, the Ulster County, N.Y., police chief soon finds a trail leading from the victim's obliging fishing buddies to a vengeful mafioso. A playwright and scriptwriter, Stackhouse shows a sure touch in this blend of the hard-boiled and the lighthearted.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Cold-blooded murder and cold-hearted greed mark the "travels" of a fabulous 25-carat, rose-colored diamond, stolen by a Nazi officer in Sicily, then brought by way of Brazil to Detroit, where it's heisted again. By the time Danny Henderson's labrador digs it up near Peekamoose Heights in upstate New York, it still inspires the delayed vengeance of a Mafia don. Chief Ed McAvoy (Danny's mom's boyfriend) deals with the new spate of murder brought on by discovery of the gem. First-time author Stackhouse relies heavily on narrative backfill, but the plot and procedural elements are pretty interesting. For larger collections.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 226 pages
• Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press; First Edition edition (March 7, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1890208566
• ISBN-13: 978-1890208561
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,429,564 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Refreshing new talent., December 15, 2002

By	Sharon Grant (Dalton, GA USA) - See all my reviews

Bill Stackhouse steps onto the mystery writing scene with a tale that is both entertaining and thought provoking. A quick read, I simply couldn't put the book down until the last pages were turned!! Will definitely look for more from this talented writer.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent prose and characterizations, March 17, 2001

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

In 1943 Sicily, Nazi Colonel Meitner knows the Italian army will collapse and the allies will easily defeat the few German units. When the battle is engaged, the action goes as expected by Meitner. However, before retreating from the island, he pays his respects to La Contessa Sophia Campi, a person he believes is part of the resistance. Without a word he kills Sophia and takes her diamond pendant jewel. Not long afterward, Sophia's brother Vittoria Gianelli arrives to learn that his beloved sibling was executed and vows a vendetta.

Over five decades later, Ulster County, New York police chief Ed McAvoy enjoys his life in the Catskills. However, his idyllic lifestyle takes a back seat starting with the discovery of a dog digging up a diamond pendant that Mafia Don Vittoria reads about in the Ashokan Register. The Don knows that his vendetta will finally begin. For Ed, the pendant leads to the difficult investigation of a murder of a senior citizen and the demands of the Don to return what is a family heirloom.

STREAM OF DEATH is an enjoyable regional mystery that links events over five decades apart. The well-written story line works because the minor subplots bring depth to the cast, making the key players seem genuine. In his debut novel, Bill Stackhouse writes like an old pro stacking his chances for success with this phenomenal police procedural that combines a hard-boiled investigation with that of a regional cozy.

Harriet Klausner