Double Elimination: A Bridge Mystery

Jim Priebe is a native of Toronto, Canada. He is an international bridge player, and has authored three books. He is a retired executive. DOUBLE ELIMINATION is his second Art Fraser mystery. Your average person would never dream that bridge would be a game of passion. But Art Fraser, who is both a New York homicide investigator and an expert bridge player, is called upon to look at a four-year-old cold case of a husband and wife, whose bodies have just been found on one of their properties, now owned by a niece. Art Fraser is pressed into service, which is the dread of most homicide investigators. The case is cold; there is little forensic evidence to go on; and the case isn't even in Art's jurisdiction. He is called upon to work with what could only be described as amateurs. Oh joy. "'Everything's on hold until I get there. The Laches were both bridge players, so Bryder thinks I'm the best man to assign to the case. He'll have to smooth things out with his counterpart up there. The two are old friends, evidently. They see each other periodically at staff meetings in Albany.' 'You're not working the case all alone?' 'I asked him to assign Nelson and Wilson. He vetoed that one right away. Says it would decimate our group in Genesee County. I have zero input into the makeup of the team doing the investigation. I feel like a junior hired hand right now.' He scowled and made to get up again. Karen leaned forward and put a hand on his arm." There is money there; there is plenty of intrigue, with everyone evidently either having affairs with the other or trying for a liaison. As is the case with human nature, wherever there is a group, there is friction. Priebe understands the psychology of people working in organizations and uses his expertise to weave a fairly complicated whodunit. The reader is stumped right up until the end of the tale, and in between there is plenty of intrigue and action to go around. Art Fraser is enough of a renegade to be a fascinating hero. Only this time he has to do a bit of babysitting with his own team. A good read from an author who obviously loves the game of bridge. Shelley Glodowski Senior Reviewer