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A Robert Forsythe Mystery #8
A Death for a Double
Wealthy Anthony Funicelli, an American businessman of dubious reputation, has gathered his far-flung, fractious — family for a reunion in his English country house. Present are his young and pregnant second wife, his imperious mother, his grown twins, his cousin Fredo and a Mexican houseboy. — At the request of his secretary's nephew, Robert Forsythe, becomes involved in the mysterious deaths of Funicelli's nephew and the son of a local family.
- GenresMystery
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1990
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 12, 2026
Buford "Buffy" Sanderson, young friend of London barrister Robert Forsythe, asks the sometime amateur sleuth to look into the goings-on at the Dower House. The Dower House near the village of Safrone has been bought by Anthony Funicelli a wealthy Italian-American businessman whom Sanderson stayed with during an exchange year in the States. Apparently, Funicelli has been receiving death threats and, in the words of a movie, "the call is coming from inside the house." Once Fortsythe is established in the house, he learns from Funicelli that the threats are coming on his personal notepaper and make references that only those who live at the Dower House would know.
And who's at the Dower House, you might ask? The businessman's much younger, beautiful wife, Lucia--who is recently pregnant. Funicelli's strong-willed mother, Mama Rosa--who's on hand to make sure her daughter-in-law has a safe and healthy pregnancy. Hansel and Gretchen--Funicelli's adult children from a previous marriage. Funicelli's cousin, Fredo Clemenza--a poor relation and a near identical double for his rich cousin. There's also Tip, the houseman--brought from Mexico and indebted to his master (or is that indentured?); Mrs. Flower, the cook, and her son Jacob, who tends the gardens and nurses hate, and her other son Noah, a gentle soul with the mind and emotions of a six-year-old.
Most of the household have reason to hate the master of the house from Hansel and Gretchen, who believe Funicelli to be responsible for their mother's death, to Fredo, who is completely dependent on his cousin, to the Flowers who believe Funicelli to be responsible for the deflowering of the daughter of the house, to Tip, who says Funicelli keeps him working for him by threatening his (Tip's) family's security in the States. But when murder rears its ugly head, it isn't Anthony who is shot and killed in his personal elevator...it's his double Fredo. Did the killer miss his mark or was Fredo the target all along. Forsythe will have to sift through the red herrings to find the answer.
Three stars seem to be the standard for the Giroux series. Each one is perfectly fine--with a decent mystery and mostly interesting characters, but just lacks a certain something that would boost the rating. For this one, I miss Forsythe's secretary, Sandy. She doesn't make an appearance until the very end and then it's she who poses the really vital questions that turn the solution slightly on its head. The other thing that nags me a bit in this outing is the final death--I had a bit of a difficulty with that one (as did Forsythe--it really made him angry). The surprise for me wasn't in the final twist (I thought that was the complete solution)--it was the bit just before that I didn't see coming. Forsythe seems to think that justice will be served in the end, but it's not quite as satisfying to think that Mama Rosa will be dishing it out instead of the courts.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
And who's at the Dower House, you might ask? The businessman's much younger, beautiful wife, Lucia--who is recently pregnant. Funicelli's strong-willed mother, Mama Rosa--who's on hand to make sure her daughter-in-law has a safe and healthy pregnancy. Hansel and Gretchen--Funicelli's adult children from a previous marriage. Funicelli's cousin, Fredo Clemenza--a poor relation and a near identical double for his rich cousin. There's also Tip, the houseman--brought from Mexico and indebted to his master (or is that indentured?); Mrs. Flower, the cook, and her son Jacob, who tends the gardens and nurses hate, and her other son Noah, a gentle soul with the mind and emotions of a six-year-old.
Most of the household have reason to hate the master of the house from Hansel and Gretchen, who believe Funicelli to be responsible for their mother's death, to Fredo, who is completely dependent on his cousin, to the Flowers who believe Funicelli to be responsible for the deflowering of the daughter of the house, to Tip, who says Funicelli keeps him working for him by threatening his (Tip's) family's security in the States. But when murder rears its ugly head, it isn't Anthony who is shot and killed in his personal elevator...it's his double Fredo. Did the killer miss his mark or was Fredo the target all along. Forsythe will have to sift through the red herrings to find the answer.
Three stars seem to be the standard for the Giroux series. Each one is perfectly fine--with a decent mystery and mostly interesting characters, but just lacks a certain something that would boost the rating. For this one, I miss Forsythe's secretary, Sandy. She doesn't make an appearance until the very end and then it's she who poses the really vital questions that turn the solution slightly on its head. The other thing that nags me a bit in this outing is the final death--I had a bit of a difficulty with that one (as did Forsythe--it really made him angry). The surprise for me wasn't in the final twist (I thought that was the complete solution)--it was the bit just before that I didn't see coming. Forsythe seems to think that justice will be served in the end, but it's not quite as satisfying to think that Mama Rosa will be dishing it out instead of the courts.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block.
October 7, 2011
This is a part of my private "library" of books that I bought back in the late '80s/early '90s and haven't gotten around to reading until now. (I buy books like most women buy shoes, so I have quite an extensive collection of "to read" books!) This book is part of a mystery series featuring British attorney and amateur sleuth, Robert Forsythe.
As a favor to a friend, Robert travels to the English countryside to meet with Anthony Funicelli, an American businessman who has mangled a stately manor by ordering hideous renovations - including a lift (elevator) that looks like a birdcage.
Someone has been sending Funicelli threatening letters. The list of suspects right there at the manor are plenty: Funicelli's son and daughter - twins who despise their father and had picketed his meat-packing plant; his lookalike cousin Fredo, an alcoholic who could be Anthony's own twin; a Mexican houseman who had literally been sold to Funicelli by his parents when he was a young boy; Funicelli's teenaged, pregnant second wife Lucia, who came from a poor village in Italy and had no say in the arranged marriage; and the religious Flower family - employed at the manor since it's previous owner and who thought they had good reason to despise their current employer. Oh yes, and Funicelli's mother, Mama Rosa, an elegant lady who was once a poor Italian village girl just like her daughter-in-law Lucia.
I don't recall having read any of the other Robert Forsythe mysteries, although a couple of them sound familiar. At any rate, Robert does a serviceable job talking to possible suspects after Anthony Funicelli's lookalike cousin Fredo is murdered. Obviously, the killer mistook Fredo for Anthony. But then the Flower family's gentle, mentally challenged adult son is killed along with the tiny dog he adored, and the game changes.
The solution to the murders was no big surprise to me. However, there was a neat twist at the end that I enjoyed. All of the characters were complex and memorable. All in all, a very enjoyable read. I definitely recommend this.
As a favor to a friend, Robert travels to the English countryside to meet with Anthony Funicelli, an American businessman who has mangled a stately manor by ordering hideous renovations - including a lift (elevator) that looks like a birdcage.
Someone has been sending Funicelli threatening letters. The list of suspects right there at the manor are plenty: Funicelli's son and daughter - twins who despise their father and had picketed his meat-packing plant; his lookalike cousin Fredo, an alcoholic who could be Anthony's own twin; a Mexican houseman who had literally been sold to Funicelli by his parents when he was a young boy; Funicelli's teenaged, pregnant second wife Lucia, who came from a poor village in Italy and had no say in the arranged marriage; and the religious Flower family - employed at the manor since it's previous owner and who thought they had good reason to despise their current employer. Oh yes, and Funicelli's mother, Mama Rosa, an elegant lady who was once a poor Italian village girl just like her daughter-in-law Lucia.
I don't recall having read any of the other Robert Forsythe mysteries, although a couple of them sound familiar. At any rate, Robert does a serviceable job talking to possible suspects after Anthony Funicelli's lookalike cousin Fredo is murdered. Obviously, the killer mistook Fredo for Anthony. But then the Flower family's gentle, mentally challenged adult son is killed along with the tiny dog he adored, and the game changes.
The solution to the murders was no big surprise to me. However, there was a neat twist at the end that I enjoyed. All of the characters were complex and memorable. All in all, a very enjoyable read. I definitely recommend this.
June 19, 2013
Nice fluff but I found the characters to be caricatures. Still worth reading.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews