Deadly Divots: A Golf Murder Mystery

by Gene Breaznell

Overview

When a land developer is found floating face down in a water hazard on the golf course of an exclusive Long Island country club, local homicide detective Karl Kanopka is called in to investigate.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781882593743
Publisher:	Bridgeworks
Publication date:	07/28/2003
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.78(h) x 0.85(d)

Editorial Reviews

In Breaznell's (The Star of Sutherland) undistinguished golf mystery, homicide detective Karl Kanopka investigates the murder of a detested real estate developer on the grounds of a fancy Long Island golf course. Kanopka's mechanical, by-the-numbers approach can't prevent further murders, which serve to narrow the already small field of suspects. Longings for his late wife slightly leaven the detective's cynical personality, but he loses the reader's sympathy as soon as he hops into the sack with the clich d attractive widow of the first victim. Despite numerous cheap shots at Agatha Christie, Breaznell fails to sustain character or plot, and his sleuth's solving the crime solely by being targeted by the killer doesn't entitle him to mock the traditions of the Golden Age. (Sept. 1) Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Long Island police detective Karl Kanopka leads the investigation into the murder of a snooty, much-disliked golf-club member. Suspicion falls at first on the club's owner, whom the dead guy wanted to buy out; however, everyone, from lowly caddy to eminent physician to widow, sees the killing as a blessing in disguise. Karl interrogates, snoops, misses his deceased wife, banters in golf talk, garners inspiration from an old mystery novel la Agatha Christie, and finally pares down the suspect list. Light, enthusiastic entertainment, with plenty of sport references (all explained) for aficionados and novices: recommended for mystery and sports fiction collections. Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

Annika Sorenstam playing the Colonial? That's nothing compared to the outrage of murder at Long Island's exclusive Broken Oak-in a first from Breaznell. About the only thing that could get blue-collar Detective Karl Kanopka into Broken Oak is a corpse named O'Reilly floating in the water hazard with a crushed skull. The club, once the luxurious estate of Dame Winifred Randall, writer of enormously popular Agatha Christiesque mysteries, is currently owned by her nephew Randy Randall, a victim of Locust Valley lockjaw who must personally approve every member. Kanopka wrestles with his social inferiority while mourning the recent death of his beloved wife, a devoted fan of Dame Winfred's mysteries, one of which Kanopka starts to read as he interviews the suspects. Because the victim was a land developer determined to take over Broken Oak, Randall is the obvious choice. But Kanopka learns from Dame Winifred's work to look beyond the obvious, and looking at O'Reilly's beautiful widow is an additional pleasure. A violent cardiologist, a Texas golf pro, an imbecile cousin, a sullen greenskeeper, and a crazy caddy round out the list. In an all-too-contrived end, Kanopka discovers which one wields the deadly five-iron when it gets aimed at his own head. Breaznell goes way over par with one-liners, bogeying the promising intersection of hard-boiled characterization with cozy plotting.

Kirkus Reviews