Death by Contract

Rating:
Summary: Mediocre
Review: I read Ms. Presberg's book right after reading one by Dick Francis and right before reading one by Barbara Paul. Compared with those two writers Ms. Presberg comes across as an amateur. Her publisher compares her book with Richard Powell's Tickets to the Devil. I read that book many years ago, and in my opinion Ms. Presberg's book does not come close. As a bridge player I found her bridge examples particularly dull. I am certainly not an expert on police procedures, but I doubt if any professional police officer would have acted as she portrayed the police in her novel. As a mystery fan, I found a total lack of any suspense. Ms. Presberg did do a good job of hiding the identity of the perpetrator until the end.

Rating:
Summary: A great who-done-it! And fun to read, too.
Review: This is a fun book for anyone who knows the least bit about bridge. The character development is especially well done, and you can truly envision each of the potential suspects. The reader is left in suspense for a long time before the killer is revealed, with many intriguing clues along the way. You could read this book straight through in a few days, but I read it a few chapters per night because I liked it so much I wanted it to last longer