Review: Could have been good in a longer version
Rating: 2 out of 5
Date: 12 3, 2011
CAPITAL MURDER, an Amazon KDP Edition by Rick Murcer is a Sophie Lee Short Story mystery. I must provide a short SPOILER ALERT!Sophie Lee is an attractive, somewhat diminutive daughter of Chinese immigrants who is a detective in the Lansing Police Department. She has been assigned her first case as head investigative detective - the case: death of Senate Majority Leader, Simon Young . She misses her partner, Manny Williams, who has just left on a case as Chief Profiler for the FBI, but proceeds with Lansing's Head CSI, Alex Downs, and two State Police detectives. Other characters involved are Tom Orbinson, an obnoxious reporter, Allison Young, the Senator's wife, Robin Green, owner of a consulting firm and Jerry Stafford, a computer whiz.The case quickly becomes further involved with more murders and a volatile climax. An Epilogue finally offers some explanation to the rather involved story.I have read his Caribbean Moon , which was enjoyable.  I am not quite sure about Sophie's advanced, somewhat `raunchy' behavior. Previously, she was only feisty and wisecracking. Her actions now could result from the  psychological `hang-ups' she could have in her present position.. However, besides this, I encountered problems. Granted, they  may well be from the author's attempt to provide a short story that could be of much greater length. Chapter One ends with Allison Young declaring that she is the Senator's wife. Chapter Two, describes how Robin Green is horribly hurt because of the actions of the Senator, for whom she describes herself as always furnishing a home and providing what he desired. These, as well as several other relationships (eliminated at the request of the author so as not to "spoil it for others" - see comment below) really are not clear until the Epilogue, although indications are there, if one studies the situation - for this reader not really a `fun' procedure when I am reading for enjoyment.To conclude: This story progresses at break neck speed and everything is brought together in the Epilogue, but for this reader, a longer version would have been much more enjoyable. Writing enjoyable short stories is not easy. Reviewed by John H. Manhold, award winning fiction/non-fiction author.