Book Review: Old Poison

Reviewed By: Pat Reid - RAM

Old Poison     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Joan Francis
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Woman Main Character
Universe, Inc., 2003, 207 pp.

Mystery, sci-fi, intrigue, travel, environmental issues, – you get a little of it all when you travel through the pages of Old Poison following the trial of Diana Hunter, Private Investigator. Diana’s initial meeting with her new client, Mr. Borson, left her with a white envelope containing a bundle of one hundred dollar bills and a CD with a portion of a novel “written on Mars” according to Mr. Borson.

She immediately decided her client was a nut case and decided to decline the case. Mr. Borson eventually convinced her that he was kidding and he was simply hiring her for research for a novel that a friend was writing. This aroused Diana’s curiosity and she felt she had to make at least an initial stab at the investigation. Sam Dehany, a long time friend and an ex-member of the U. S. Intelligence force advises her to evaluate the clients requests for information but if they stop sounding like science fiction and start sounding like Leavenworth, get out.

In her quest to find out if there really is such a thing as Red 19, a replacement for fuel, that can in time destroy the earth as described in the Martian Diary she is faced with a murder investigation and threats on her life. She changes her appearance, name and identity a number of times throughout her travels in the U. S. and Costa Rica in the quest for the truth.

I liked the book and I look forward to the next Diana Hunter mystery.

Pat Reid - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Pat Reid - RAM