Irish Gilt

This is no fast-paced thriller but rather a gradually unraveling mystery featuring the surroundings of Notre Dame combined with literacy superior to most mysteries. Notre Dame alumni and fans will find it gently amusing, with some excellent turns of phrase. The occasional poor joke or pun should just be ignored because the overall read is enjoyable.

South Bend, Indiana is known as the home of the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. Brotherly private investigators Roger and Phil Knight love the college atmosphere, the sports, and the occasional intrigue. Roger, recently appointed to the Huneker Chair in the Catholic Studies Department, teaches a course on the renowned Father John Zahm, a Renaissance man who many believe found the legendary El Dorado Mine. However, Roger nd his students are not the only people interested in Zahm. Alumni Boris Henry possesses Zahm's diaries that provide clues to the El Dorado Mine. He wants to mount an expedition that he hopes will lead to a center based on Zahm's works. Another alumnus Xavier Killock is also interested in finding the El Dorado Mine; Boris believes Xavier stole the diaries from him, but if he did he will not be able to confess as someone killed him. The tour of the famous university will be enjoyed not just by alumni, but also fans of teams who until recent years spent many a defeat in Rockne Stadium. The who-done-it is fun to follow as Ralph McInerny provides lots of misdirection, which also turns into to many dead ended sidebars. Still this is a pleasant read in an amiable series. Harriet Klausner