The Marble Kite

The Marble Kite, by David Daniel, is the fourth in a series of mysteries which involve private investigator Alex Rasmussen. The plot is situated in the mostly-blue-collar city of Lowell, Massachusetts, an old mill town on the banks of the Merrimack River. Troy Pepper is a carnival roustabout who is accused of murdering the woman he loved. He was raised in an orphanage, and through his life of solitude and rejection has lost his trust in people. He makes no effort to defend himself. Alex, perhaps from having experienced his own share of solitude and rejection, is determined to prove Pepper's innocence. The book is filled with images of the downtrodden and the unspoken heroes of working-class America, which include: an old man that Rasmussen sees through a hotel doorway who is sitting on his bed in his underwear, staring at nothing; a woman who takes care of her elderly mother who is in the final stages of Alzheimer, who tells Alex "...eventually each of us ends up in the cemetery, flying a marble kite"; a black jazz guitarist who sacrifices his profession to save his drummer; a southeast Asian 14-year-older who lands in the hospital after trying to quit a gang; and waitresses "... on tired feet, looking for a snug harbor, however temporary, and some companionship to share the lonely stretches after a long shift..." The plot weaves nicely, and Lowell is portrayed vividly as you follow Rasmussen through the streets, mills, and office buildings.

Very gripping mystery. Keeps you guessing until the end and then a surprise! Very fun. You really feel for these charactors. I highly recommend it.

In Lowell, Massachusetts, private investigator Alex Rasmussen is enjoying his fourth date with Phoebe Kelly at a carnival. He is on the verge of winning her a stuffed animal when a scream occurs. Dropping the mallet, Alex rushes to the locale of the shriek only to find a small growing crowd surrounding a dead woman. The next day local attorney Fred Meecham informs Alex that the carnival owner Pop Sondry hired him to represent the prime suspect in last night's carnival murder Troy Pepper. The lawyer further explains that Pop is convinced that his employee is innocent. Fred hires Alex to make inquiries into Troy, the victim Flora Nunez, and other carnival employees. Alex puts aside his insurance work to conduct a field investigation into the murder of Flora. THE MARBLE KITE is an entertaining regional private investigative tale starring a delightful protagonist. Alex seems very realistic as he is a bit annoyed that his date was ruined just when he is just getting back into the scene having been divorced, waiting for a reconciliation and finally watching his ex remarry and have someone else's child. The who-done-it is cleverly devised so that the audience wonders why Pop thinks Troy is innocent as the circumstantial evidence points heavily towards him. David Daniel provides a fabulous murder mystery that will send newcomers seeking previous starring roles of Alex (see GOOFY FOOT). Harriet Klausner

David Daniel continues to thrill readers with intelligent stories, crisp prose, and intriguing characters. Marble Kite is no exception--the carnies are fascinating and PI Alex Rasmussen as sharp as in Daniel's earlier novels. A great read.

David Daniel continues to please with Alex Rasmussen Mystery series. His latest, The Marble Kite is his finest, in fact. Set entirely in the hardscrabble Industrial Revolution town of Lowell Mass, Marble Kite is edgier that its predecessor, Goofy Foot. At once, this is a gripping whodunit and a great police story. PI Alex Rasmussen effectively weaves his way through the mean streets and bars of the low-rent (and fascinating) Acre section of Lowell in route to solving his most problematic case. Daniel is particularly impressive developing the characters, especially Nicole and Pop. You can visualize what they might look and sound like through his words. While PI Alex Rasmussen is not as testosterone fueled as Parker's Spenser, he is certainly as quick-witted and tough enough. Daniel's good karma comes through in spades and it shows in Alex's moral fiber. In addition, the ambiance of Marble Kite is a cut above most PI Mystery novels. At one point, as Alex is nursing a beating and contemplating why he should continue on the case while his life is failing apart around him, you can almost hear Gil Scott Heron's Pieces of a Man playing in the background. Daniel has developed into a first-rate storyteller and Marble Kite is a top-notch mystery. Just in time for the real carnival coming to the Regatta.