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“Amen Corner” synopsis:
The body of the Masters rules committee chairman is found floating in the pond in front of the 12th green on the morning that Sam Skarda arrives at Augusta National Golf Club to play in his first Masters. Skarda, a 37-year-old police detective on medical leave from the Minneapolis P.D., is a former college golfer who won the U.S. Publinx and an invitation to play in the Masters while rehabbing a shooting injury suffered on the job.
Evidence left at the crime scene suggests the murder might have been tied to the ongoing protest by a women's group that has been demanding that the club admit women members. Then a crusading New York Times columnist is murdered on the grounds of the club two days later. Local police suspect the murders might have been committed by a member and begin pressuring David Porter, the new Augusta National chairman, for access to the club's membership information.
Porter asks Skarda for help finding the killer before the police thoroughly invade Augusta National's legendary privacy. Skarda looks for answers from members, veteran journalists, longtime caddies and ex-employees who may know why someone is determined to bring this year's Masters to a halt.
He also falls for Caroline Rockingham, the soon-to-be ex-wife of one of the pre-tournament favorites, a former college golf teammate of Skarda's. Sam and Caroline themselves become targets as the murders continue and pressure to cancel the tournament builds. Meanwhile, the killer methodically prepares for a spectacular and deadly Sunday climax.
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Rick Shefchik
"Amen Corner" 2007
Poisoned Pen Press, $24.95.
"Green Monster" 2008
Poisoned Pen Press, $24.95.
"Green Monster" synopsis:
After a second World Championship in four years, the Boston Red Sox have finally buried the Curse of the Bambino – or have they? Sox owner Louis Kenwood receives an extortion note – signed by “Babe Ruth” – claiming that the 2004 World Series was fixed, and demanding fifty million dollars to keep the information from getting to the press and the Commissioner’s office.
The Red Sox turn to private detective Sam Skarda to find out whether the allegation is true, and who’s behind the extortion plot. If the allegation of a fix becomes public, Kenwood fears irreparable damage to the value of his franchise and to his legacy as “Lucky Louie,” the man who finally brought a championship to Boston after 86 years.
Kenwood insists that Sam be accompanied – and monitored – on every step of his investigation by executive assistant Heather Canby, a beautiful young Harvard Business School grad. Soon after taking the case, Sam is the target of an attempted hit – or is the target really Kenwood’s ailing wife? Unsure who he can trust, Sam goes to Los Angeles with Heather to confront their chief suspect in the World Series plot, and they find themselves in the middle of a deadly mob crossfire as a young gangster looking to make his mark in Hollywood takes on an established L.A. crimelord.
Eventually the trail leads to Venezuela, and then back to Fenway Park, as Sam tries to put the pieces together before lives are lost and scandal destroys the achievement most cherished by Red Sox Nation.
