Green Murder

Alan Saxon, the British golf professional and long-ago British Open Champion at Carnoustie is at it again. In the off season of the European Tour he's invited to play in a skins game in Australia. A nice trip, a guaranteed pay check, a chance to escape the fact that his ex-wife (whom he both hates and loves) is about to get remarried (and that the real love of his life, his teenage daughter, Lynette is about to acquire a stepfather), and an expenses paid vacation in a luxury suite are all reasons to play. Being a murder target is a good reason not to play. But all is not as it seems. The skins game has been put together because of Diane, the new wife of wealthy Warren Oxley. Oxley sees it as an opportunity to tout the Greenblades Country Club in which he has a substantial investment, as well as a chance to improve his political fortunes. Everyone involved seems to have a reason to use Saxon, not necessarily for his own benefit. The event is billed as Australia versus Asia, the U.S., and Great Britain with each competitor chosen to represent his respective part of the world. But before the matches begin, the Australian representative has a nasty car accident - which may not have been an accident. He's replaced with another Australian whom Saxon considers to be a cheat and a disgrace to the game. A professional golfer's caddie is as critical to his success as any of the clubs in his bag. And Diane wants to caddie for Alan. This is the last thing Alan wants. But in a casual game of golf he recognizes her abilities and agrees to give her a tryout. All is well until the sixteenth hole when she is kidnapped off the course and a ransom is demanded. Saxon feels responsible and other events quickly cause him to realize that someone doesn't want him in this event, much less to be the final winner. He is beaten, shot at, has his clubs stolen and is given to mistrust almost everyone whom he initially has any faith in at all. He also puts at risk almost anyone he has any feelings for - and the more he tries to protect them, the more they seem to become targets. How the Skins game turns out, who the real friends and foes are, whether good will truly triumph over evil are all very good reasons to read this installment of the Alan Saxon series.