Old Silver
Michael Tanner & Mary Whitney Mystery, No. 3

       An employee of the Minnesota Historical Society, Ethel Jandrice is murdered after she filches an ancient letter about the cargo of the Amador to show her boyfriend, who is a descendent of the ship's owners. Michael and Mary are sure that the two events are related, and take off on a journey packed with suspense and excitement to investigate Ethel's murder. They discover that Ethel's boyfriend, Tommy Callender has also been murdered. They uncover old crimes and stumble upon new crimes, and meet and match wits with intriguing members of the Mayhew and deVole families. Michael narrowly escapes with his life when a semi-tractor knocks him off the road. Was it intentional? Was it connected to their investigation of the Amador?

      Brookins masterfully builds the suspense to a white knuckle level with his smooth prose and exciting scenes of sailing, scuba diving, wild storms, political intrigue, and murder. The history of the Lake Superior area is authoritative, and woven into the plot with great skill.

      I enjoyed the ongoing romance between Michael Tanner and Mary Whitney and the wonderful sailing scenes that Brookins writes with such expertise. The cast of compelling characters, both heroes and villains, and a plot that keeps you guessing is a Brookins' trademark. I can't wait to read the next one.