Final
Undertaking
A Barry Clayton
Mystery
Mark de Castrique
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59058-229-2 (1590582292)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-229-9 (9781590582299)
Publication Date: April 2007
List Price: $24.95
Synopsis (from
the publisher): When Barry Clayton’s father developed
Alzheimer’s, Barry gave up his career in law enforcement to
return to the North Carolina
mountain town of Gainesboro and run the family’s funeral
home. But even a small town in the Appalachians is not immune to crime.
At a summer street dance, Barry’s friend Sheriff Tommy Lee
Wadkins is gunned down by an old man distraught at the death of his
wife. To the dismay of Deputy Reece Hutchins, hospitalized Tommy Lee
appoints Barry as the deputy in charge of the investigation. Who was
the old man stalking? Why was a young woman who was wounded at the
scene traveling with the intended victim?
What at first appears to be a case of a mentally unstable summer
tourist quickly develops into a tangled web of deceit stretching from
western North Carolina to the Florida coast. Someone is preying upon
senior citizens.
Barry realizes Deputy Hutchins is undercutting his investigation, but
as potential witnesses and informants begin to die under mysterious
circumstances, Barry confronts a conspiracy that runs so deep he no
longer knows who to trust. One false step, one betrayal, will make this
case Buryin’ Barry’s final undertaking.
Review: Final Undertaking,
the fourth mystery in this highly recommended series by Mark de
Castrique, has funeral home owner Barry Clayton wearing a deputy's
badge to investigate the senseless shooting death of a young woman
during an evening summer festival in his home town. The sheriff, Tommy
Lee Wadkins, wounded while trying to subdue the killer who dies in the
process, provides guidance from his hospital room.
Barry quickly discovers the dead man's wife had recently died at their
home in Florida of an overdose of a powerful prescription pain
reliever. What isn't clear is why he was blaming someone attending a
festival 600 miles away for his wife's death.
de Castrique writes in a clear and uncomplicated manner that keeps the
plot focused and the reader interested. The plot itself is topical and
(from a taxpayer perspective) all too believable though Barry, like
almost anyone living in small town America, is slow to accept that a
local resident could be involved.
In an effort to keep the series fresh, a new character is introduced in Final Undertaking,
Fletcher Shaw, an intern assigned to Barry's funeral home, Clayton and
Clayton. In addition to studying mortuary science, Fletcher has special
skills in computer graphics and other forms of high technology that are
useful in forensic analysis. Assuming that Fletcher will be a recurring
character (and from the ending, this seems to be a fair assumption), he
will be a winning addition to the existing cast in this series.
Finally, in keeping with Barry's profession, de Castrique handles a
death in the community with grace and sensitivity. It's a special
moment and it's very well done.
Special thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC of Final Undertaking for this review.
Review Copyright © 2007 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Mysteries in this series ...
Dangerous Undertaking
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), 2003
ISBN-10: 1-59058-055-9 (1590580559)
Grave
Undertaking
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), 2004
ISBN-10: 1-59058-116-4 (1590581164)
Foolish
Undertaking
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), 2006
ISBN-10: 1-59058-227-6 (1590582276)
Final
Undertaking
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), 2007
ISBN-10: 1-59058-055-9 (1590580559)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-229-9 (9781590582299)
Omnimystery keywords for Final Undertaking
...
Location(s) referenced: North Carolina.
