Dead File

Maxi Poole #2

by Kelly Lange

The thrilling Maxi Poole investigation of the mysterious death of millionaire Gillian Rose and the attempted murder of her magnetic husband.

Channel Six television reporter Maxi Poole is on assignment to cover the murder of Gillian Rose, co-owner of one of the largest vitamin and herb retailers in the world. Arriving at the crime scene, Maxi studies Gillian’s body, trying to piece together what happened. Days later, someone breaks into the home of Carter Rose, Gillian’s husband, in a failed attempt to murder him. A shaken Carter asks Maxi for help in finding Gillian’s killer. Maxi can’t help being intrigued by the magnetic Carter Rose. His earnestness, surprising shyness, playful wit, and boyish good looks all add up to one deadly attractive package. As Maxi gets sucked into Carter’s world, she has to confront his indiscriminate philandering and shadowy friends, that is if she isn’t dumped from prime time by someone who intends to delete her from existence and consign her to every reporter’s worst the dead file.

Genres: Mystery

392 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just like the first book in the Maxi Poole series, titled The Reporter, this one kept me up till exactly 2:30 a.m. And just like the first book, the point of view jumps around like a frightened grasshopper. The 310 pages of my edition are divided into no fewer than 71 chapters, and many of those super-short chapters boast more than one point of view! Once again, the third-person narration goes in and out of several characters' heads, and once again it's what the author chooses to reveal from each character's thoughts that creates the mystery.

The big difference is that this time the mystery is quite well constructed. The killer isn't revealed until chapter 68 (out of 71, remember!), and it was a big enough surprise to satisfy all my mystery-reading desires. That lifts my rating from three stars for the first book into the 3.5-4.0 range for this one. There's also a little mystery on the side involving main character Maxi Poole's producer and good friend Wendy Harris, and it was quite well constructed too.

In addition to those two threads, there's a second major crime the truth of which is revealed gradually via frequent visits to characters' carefully selected thoughts, that is, by author's artifice. The technique yields suspense and held my interest in this case, but it's not really a third mystery.

As I said in my review of the first book, the most valuable thing for me is the author's depiction of the world she knows very well. The publisher's blurb makes sure you know that the author is an award-winning former news anchor and reporter for KNBC-TV in Los Angeles, and this time the focus stays sharply on what happens behind the scenes to produce the local television news in a major city.

I'm very glad I had the opportunity to see news production up close and in considerable detail. Not only is Maxi Poole the author's alter ego--leading TV news anchor and reporter for a fictitious Los Angeles TV channel--but Maxi's producer Wendy Harris and her immediate boss Pete Capra are brought in from real life with minimal adjustment for story-telling, according to the author's acknowledgement pages. They're striking personalities indeed. I suspect others in the news room are also drawn from real life.

An effective mystery and an invaluable close look at local TV news production. Strongly recommended in spite of that frightened grasshopper.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book to curl up to on a cold snowy day. A murder mystery that was just that with the twists and turns expected in a good mystery. The ending was not what I expected and I didn't figure it out until right before it was revealed.

[Laurie Stoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I had never heard of this author and happened to pick up the book at a used book store. Apparently this book is part of a series with Maxi Poole at the heart of each story. This is an author that I will look for other books she has written.

This books ending took me be by surprise. For me, it was not predictable at all.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting peek into what goes on behind the scenes in preparing a daily local news cast.

[Tima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something constantly happening ..