Killed on the Rocks

Matt Cobb Mysteries #6

by William L. DeAndrea

At a snowed-in retreat, a corporate takeover turns deadly
A remote mansion, a blizzard, and lack of phone It's an opportunity a killer can't pass up. Matt Cobb, the in-house troubleshooter for a television conglomerate, is summoned to an executive meeting at the Adirondack home of billionaire G. B. Dost. Dost plans to acquire the TV network, and the shareholders are anxious about the rich man's intentions. One of the bigwigs might even prefer murder to a takeover. Sure enough, the morning before negotiations would start, Dost is discovered dead outside his lodge--surrounded by forty feet of smooth, unbroken snow--and Cobb is faced with the task of interrogating guests. And matters are only complicated by Dost's psychic wife, his off-kilter son, and a haunting message somehow relayed on a television found to be unplugged.

Genres: Mystery

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

William L. DeAndrea (1952–1996) was born in Port Chester, New York. While working at the Murder Ink bookstore in New York City, he met mystery writer Jane Haddam, who became his wife. His first book, Killed in the Ratings (1978), won an Edgar Award in the best first mystery novel category. That debut launched a series centered on Matt Cobb, an executive problem-solver for a TV network who unravels murders alongside corporate foul play. DeAndrea’s other series included the Nero Wolfe–inspired Niccolo Benedetti novels, the Clifford Driscoll espionage series, and the Lobo Blacke/Quinn Booker Old West mysteries. A devoted student of the mystery genre, he also wrote a popular column for the Armchair Detective newsletter. One of his last works, the Edgar Award–winning Encyclopedia Mysteriosa (1994), is a thorough reference guide to sleuthing in books, film, radio, and TV.

Reviews

[Gabriele Crescenzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bel romanzo di William de Andrea, autore di gialli che si accostano per alcuni versi all'hard boiled, ma essenzialmente classici. Non avevo mai letto nulla dell'autore, ma sono rimasto piacevolmente stupito da quest'opera: lo stile è fresco, contemporaneo, molto piacevole l'ironia che pervade l'opera così come l'enigma giallo. Capire chi sia il colpevole penso non sia la più ardua delle imprese (penso che chiunque abbia letto un numero esiguo di gialli capisca chi possa esserci dietro), ma il metodo per compiere il delitto impossibile è plausibile, ben congegnato sebbene un po' tecnico.
Dunque per me sono 4 stelle.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt Cobb is head of special projects of a TV network. He finds himself at a country house, snowed in, host murdered & no foot prints.

Matt is a lot like Rex Stout's Archie of Nero Wolfe fame. Enjoy!

[Helen Fleischer · Rating 4 out of 5]

good banter, good plot