Hot Stones: Cold Death

by Barbara Fleming

A riveting thriller which follows a young D.C. police detective, Lieutenant Matthew Alexander, as he solves two brutal murders and the theft a fabulous emerald necklace from the Smithsonian's gem collection. The action in Hot Stones * Cold Death swirls around the theft of a dazzling and priceless emerald necklace from the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History in the dead of night. The same night as the theft, two young intruders are savagely murdered and both of their bodies are strangely staged in an African village diorama where they are found by hysterical tourists the next morning. Because the murdered intruders are ritually attired as African warriors down to their spears and shields, and because they are murdered during the Smithsonian's budget hearings, the homicides take on political overtones that heighten the otherworldly aspect of a gruesome, barbaric act of violence. Sensitive to the possibility of international entanglements, museum security staff! waste precious hours shoring up their defenses and alibis before summoning the DCPD homicide division. By the time the DCPD arrives at the Museum of Natural History on the Mall, the victims have been dead at least twelve hours. The case is assigned to Detective Lieuitenant Matthew Alexander, a young man on his way up in the DCPD who has an impressive hit rate in solving difficult homicide cases. Lieutenat Alexander and his partner, Sargeant Jake Jackson, face a wall of resistance as they encounter blanket denials of any knowledge of the theft or murders from museum staff. Matt Alexander finds little evidence to indicate a motive for the murders, and even less to help in identifying the victims whose mug shots and fingerprints are conspicuously absent from both the District and federal police files.

Paperback

Published July 28, 2001

Reviews

[Phyllis | Mocha Drop · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barbara Fleming's Hot Stones, Cold Death is a murder mystery featuring veteran Washington, DC Detective Matthew Alexander and his sidekick, Jake Jackson. The mystery opens with two black men found dead dressed in African warrior regalia in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Their bodies are curiously arranged in an African Village diorama complete with spears, shields, and a priceless emerald necklace. At first glance, it looks like a theft gone wrong, but something lies beneath the surface that does not sit well with Matt and Jake. The detectives are faced with few clues, airtight alibis, and a hostile environment in which the highly connected museum staff wants the case closed as soon as possible. They follow leads that take them all over DC; from posh Georgetown to the crackhouses of Florida Avenue. A lucky break, another body, and follow through on a haunting suspicion allow the detectives to apprehend the culprits and resolve the mystery.
There are many characters in this story and the author provides a great service to the reader by providing a list of primary characters and their roles at the beginning of the novel. Even with the helpful guide, the author's handling of dialogue between characters is somewhat awkward and cumbersome at times, especially when familiar characters referred to each other by first and last names. Despite the issues with dialogue, this reviewer found the plot to be original and very well paced. The author introduces twists and turns at appropriate intervals to keep the reader interested until the end. This is a light, easy read; appropriate for a summer afternoon.

[Melissa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Probably one of the worst books I've ever read.