Framework for Death

Second book in a series by this author. Better than the first. Female engineer (Travers) is an unusual role model (but about time!). Watching the relationship between Travers and Alvarez grow makes for a good read. Dialogue is witty and entertaining.

1998 Anthony Nomination! This mystery is even better than the first one in this series. Ms. Schumacher has really out done herself on this one. El Paso Detective David Alvarez, who we met in ENGINEERED FOR MURDER, is working on a murder case in which a second floor room falls on 2 people, killing them. Detective Alvarez calls in Tory Travers, whom we also met in the 1st book, to help him figure out what caused the collapse. Before you know it, they are up to their necks in trouble, with a killer, who needs answers and is willing to do anything to get them. This is one killer who will stop at nothing to get his questions answered, even if it means killing Ms. Travers infant son and the son of Alvarez's partner, as he has threatened to do. The ending is Superb. I was so into this book, I couldn't put it down. I wanted to hurry and get all the answers myself! Thank you Ms. Schumacher for an excellent read.

A great follow up to a great beginning! The murder mystery is just as puzzling as the first in this fun series, and the dialog between Tory Travers and David Alvarez still sizzles. This one really got to me, on an emotional level, too. Highly recommended.

I completely enjoyed Aileen Schumacher's second book, Framework for Death. It grabbed my attention from the first page and kept my interest all the way through. The mix between Tory and Alvarez is fun to watch, but the relationship did not overshadow the mystery itself. I found the story to be engaging and thought provoking. The conclusion was satisfying but realistic and had me guessing until the end. An excellent book, I highly recommend it.

Aileen Shumacher's second entry in the Tory Travers series demonstrates that she is no one-book wonder. A fascinating "locked room" mystery combined with knotty legal and ethical issues as well as fascinating characters makes "Framework for Death" a must-read for all mystery fans. It's not all serious, however. Schumacher provides witty dialogue and many hearty laughs. Highly recommended.