Amen Corner
A Sam
Skarda Mystery
Rick
Shefchik
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover)
ISBN-10: 1-59058-411-2 (1590584112)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-411-8 (9781590584118)
Publication Date: March 2007
List Price: $24.95
Synopsis (from
the publisher): The body of the Masters rules committee chairman is
found in the middle of the 10th fairway on the morning that Sam Skarda
arrives at Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia to play in his first
Masters. Skarda, a 33-year-old police detective on medical leave from
the Minneapolis police department, is an accomplished amateur golfer
who won the U.S. Publinx and an invitation to play golf in the Masters
while rehabbing a shooting injury suffered on the job.
Evidence left at the crime scene suggests the murder might have been
tied to the ongoing protest by a women's group that has been demanding
that the club admit women members. Then a crusading New York Times
columnist is murdered on the grounds of the club two days later. Local
police suspect the murders might have been committed by a member and
begin pressuring the new Augusta National president for access to the
club's membership information.
The club chairman asks Skarda for help finding the killer before the
police thoroughly invade Augusta National's legendary privacy. Skarda
looks for answers from members, veteran journalists, longtime caddies
and ex-employees who may know why someone is determined to bring this
year's Masters to a halt.
He also falls for Caroline Rockingham, the soon-to-be ex-wife of one of
the pre-tournament favorites, a former college golf teammate of
Skarda's. Sam and Caroline themselves become targets as the murders
continue and pressure to cancel the tournament builds. Meanwhile, the
killer methodically prepares for a spectacular and deadly Sunday climax.
Review:
Sportswriter Rick Shefchik introduces policeman and amateur golfer Sam
Skarda in his first published mystery, Amen Corner. Sam, on leave from the
Minneapolis police force after being shot in the knee, has been advised
by his doctors that walking will help the rehabilitation process.
Working up from 3 holes a day to two rounds every other day, Sam
discovers he's a good golfer in the process, winning a local
competition and receiving an invitation to play in one of golf's most
prestigious events, the Masters.
This year's Masters tournament, however, gets off to an inauspicious
start when, prior to opening day, one of the board of governors is
found murdered on the course, accompanied by a message etched into an
adjacent green: "This is the last Masters". Less than 48 hours later, a
prominent reporter is also murdered, with a similar message appearing
near her body. The police think the murders are related to the golf
clubs exclusionary policies, but the chairman of Augusta National,
where the Masters is held, believes otherwise and hires Sam to
investigate the murders from an insider perspective.
Shefchik takes a Columbo-like approach to his story, introducing the
killer, Lee Doggett, in the prologue. Yet this in no way lessens the
appeal of the mystery as the author is able, for the most part, to
successfully maintain a high level of suspense throughout. The contrast
between Doggett and Sam is striking and they provide a formidable
adversarial relationship that works well in the context of the book.
Shefchik manages to deftly sidestep the controversy surrounding the
Masters in general and the Augusta National Golf Club in particular
with respect to the organization's policy of excluding women from its
membership. He fairly portrays both sides of the argument without
taking sides himself. At one point Sam says, "I believe in the right of
private clubs to make their own rules, whether the rest of us like it
or not." But he goes on to say, that, all things considered, he'd "...
rather belong to a club that had women members."
If there's a weakness to the story, it's the unnecessary inclusion of a
love interest for Sam. He's at Augusta to play golf and solve a series
of murders. Why the author felt the need to include a romantic
interlude that detracts from these objectives is unclear.
Special thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an ARC of Amen Corner for this review.
Review Copyright © 2007 — Hidden Staircase Mystery Books — All Rights Reserved
Have you read Amen Corner? How would you rate it?
Mysteries in this series …
Amen Corner
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), March 2007
ISBN-10: 1-59058-411-2 (1590584112)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-411-8 (9781590584118)
Green Monster
Poisoned Pen Press (Hardcover), September 2008
ISBN-10: 1-59058-524-0 (1590585240)
ISBN-13: 978-1-59058-524-5 (9781590585245)
Omnimystery keywords for Amen Corner ...
Location(s) referenced: Augusta, Georgia.
