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Book ReviewsThe Hydrogen Murder (Avalon Mystery) |
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Book: The Hydrogen Murder (Avalon Mystery)
Written by: Camille Minichino |
Publisher: Thomas Bouregy & Company
Average Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5
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First and Longest Lasting
Rating:
4 / 5
Oh, the different things you find out if you keep up on your cozy mysteries! This is the first and longest-lasting of the elements of the "Periodic Table" and the first and longest-lasting of Camille Minichino's many mysteries involving arch scientist Gloria, a retired lady professor from UC Berkeley who leaves her campus and her career to retire. Only what does she get in little sleepy Revere (Massachusetts in the Back Bay) but a horrible case of murder. The police bring her into the case, and once she is there, she embarks on a satisfying (to the reader) three way romance as she is torn between two lovers, while escaping for her life. There are some lovely comparisons between the Massachusetts landscapes and the California coastal scenery, but Gloria isn't looking back, except in terror.
This is the perfect antidote to those who say there is no excitement and no romance after fifty. While later books in the series play down the Italian angle (Revere has a large Italian quarter and is said to be the birthplace of Oscar-winning Italian-American actress Anne Bancroft), THE HYDROGEN MURDER has it in spades, and when was the last time you read a mystery love triangle in which all the particpants were mature Italian-Americans? That's why Camille Minichino is such a refreshing writer, she goes back to her roots both in science and in heritage. Next up for the prolific cozy authoress? THE MITROGEN MURDER--in May 2005.
I haven't even finished it yet, but....
Rating:
5 / 5
I know I'm loving it now...Camille Minichino has created in Gloria Lamerino, a semiretired physicist, a highly likeable sleuth, giving her a lot of character and heart in her first outing (which is hard to do) in "The Hydrogen Murder". Eric Bensen, another physicist, is murdered, shot to death, in his dreary little laboratory. He was heading experiments into turning hydrogen into a metal, which would mean millions for a lot of people. When he started hinting at discrepancies in his team's data, he was promptly put out of business. Enter Gloria Lamerino, hired on as a professional by the sexy Matt Genarro to help weed out the killer and to explain the hard stuff to him. Minichino explains this physicist stuff in terms that the average layperson can understand and she doesn't do it condescendingly, either. She does it in a helpful, teacher-to-student kind of way. Thanks, Miss Minichino, and don't stop till you've covered all the elements!
Scientist / Sleuth Looks for Hidden Clues
Rating:
5 / 5
Physicist Eric Bensen, along with his fellow researchers, are on the verge of making an exciting new discovery about hydrogen. After Eric is found shot to death in his physics lab, we learn that he has found a fatal flaw in the data which could discredit the team's findings. Was Eric murdered to keep him quiet, or was it for another reason?
This very enjoyable novel introduces Dr. Gloria Lamerino, a recently retired physicist who has returned to her hometown of Revere, Massachusetts after a successful physics career in California. Gloria is hired by the Revere police department as a scientific consultant to help understand the scientific background of the case. Author Minichino has created a marvelous character in Dr. Lamerino, a career woman who is still looking for a relationship. In this story, Gloria is pursued by her former high school flame Peter Mastrone, while SHE is interested in getting to know the police detective Sergeant Gennaro much bettter.
The plot development was well done, making this book a real page-turner. Being an engineer myself, I enjoyed the scientific information in the story. It's so refreshing to find a cozy mystery with an intelligent protagonist! I'm looking forward to reading the Helium mystery next!
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