James Yaffe Boeken

Middle-aged, Bronx-born New York detective Dave leaves the violence of the city streets for a change of pace as investigator for the district attorney's office in the small Southwestern town of Mesa Grande. But he soon encounters as much mayhem, and even more hostility, prevarication, and cynicism in an unlikely spot: the English department of Mesa Grande College.When Stuart Bellamy, scion of a distinguished family and recently tenured English professor, is bludgeoned to death with a bronze paperweight, suspicion falls on likeable professor Mike Russo, who was passed over for tenure in favor of Bellamy. Dave begins a tentative investigation of the case and is given pointed advice by an astute, highly intelligent, intuitive source: his visiting mother. Now in her 70s, Mom is a tough, shrewd New Yorker with a wry wit and an ability to mix keen analytical deductions with her more traditional talents as cook, mother and matchmaker.This fast-paced mystery contains a rich trove of sharply etched supporting characters who animate the plot with caustic wit and imaginative ploys. Of course, Mom steals the show.

Ein wenig erinnert sie an Miss Marple - aber Mom ist eine Klasse für sich, die alte Dame aus der Bronx, die ihrem Sohn Dave - seines Zeichens Ex-Polizist und Ermittler bei der örtlichen Pflichtverteidigerin - in die Kleinstadt Mesa Grande am Fuß der Rocky Mountains gefolgt ist. Mit ihren fünfundsiebzig Jahren macht ihr keiner so leicht etwas vor, ob es um die Zubereitung des Sonntagsbratens geht - oder um die richtigen Fragen zu einem rätselhaften Mordfall. Ohne ihren Scharfsinn wäre der obdachlose Harry Stubbins für einen Mord verurteilt worden, den er gar nicht begangen hat...