Book Review: Illegal Tender

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Illegal Tender     Amazon US HC Amazon UK HC Amazon Canada HC
Gerald Hammond
Class/Genre:   Mystery
Series: John Cunningham / Henry Kitts # 10
St. Martin's, Apr 2001, $22.95, 224 pp.

Sir Peter Hay, the rich owner of Hay Lodge, and Henry Fitts, part owner of Three Oaks Gun-dog Kennel are friends. When Henry died, his entire estate went to his granddaughter Elizabeth Ilwand with Henry acting as executor until she either marries or is mature enough to manage the empire. Henry and Elizabeth are close friends so he accepts her invitation to hold a business discussion over dinner. At dinner, Henry mentions an e-mail scam he learned about. When Elizabeth haers about this, she nearly faints.

She explains that she gave banking information to the con artists who wiped out a million and a quarter pounds from her account. As Henry tries to track the money trail, he and Elizabeth look at another account causing problems that might require personal takeover. This delinquent account and the e-mail scan are related and dangerous to anyone who seeks the connection.

Now seventy, author Gerald Hammond says in the preface that this will probably be his last mystery. Hopefully a talent as good as Mr. Hammond will change his mind and provide his loyal following with at least a dozen more tales. However, if ILLEGAL TENDER is his finale, it is a great way to go into retirement. The characters are realistic and the non-violent story line makes for a fascinating mystery. The book's climax is a surprise that will fool everyone into yelling at Mr. Hammond for one more encore at a minimum of a dozen times.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner