Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner
The Lithium Murder
Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Camille Minichino
Class/Genre: Mystery Police Procedural Woman Main Character Amateur Sleuth Scientific based
Series: Gloria Lamerino # 3
Morrow, May 1999, $24.00, 231 pp.
He hates all of them for their scorn of him even after four decades of cleaning up the messes left behind by hotshot scientists at the University Physics Lab. However, janitor Michael Deramo overhears a group of scientists discussing hiding a potential environmental problem involving lithium batteries. The seventy-two years old Michael expects a big payoff to keep quiet. Instead, he is silenced in a more deadly manner. The Revere, Massachusetts police turn to their science consultant, retired physics professor Gloria Lamerino, to help them with the technical aspects of the investigation. Though expected to stay out of harm's way, Gloria begins to make inquiries among the researchers and the victim's family. She quickly uncovers the environmental hazard, but realizes that Dereamo's murder goes deeper than just the labs of research. As she further digs into the case, Gloria places herself in danger from a killer who wants to remain anonymous. The third periodic table murder (see THE HYDROGEN MURDER and THE HELIUM MURDER) is an entertaining cozy that provides readers with a fresh amateur detective. The story line is taut and the chemistry between Gloria and a police officer augments the tale. Readers will need a leap of faith in the fact that the police do not fire Gloria for her extracurricular activities but the novel and its previous stories are worth the leap. With over 100 elements to go, sub-genre fans have plenty of novels by Camille Minichino to look forward to enjoying.
Harriet Klausner
Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner
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