Michael Silvering, The Sorcerer’s Circle

The Sorcerer's Circle

Michael Silvering

Dunne, December 2006, $23.95

ISBN: 0312361920

His mother is the owner of the Midnight Investigation Agency, in which Jason is an operative. One day, as he is ready to go home, a man appears telling him the River City police sent him there because they couldn't help him. He insists someone is trying to kill him. Jason concludes the man is a flake and gets rid of him. Jason later learns that the potential client died while performing a magical ritual, with four other people in attendance.

One of the participants is Anna Addison, a client's daughter and owner of the knife that killed Elijah Messenger. She ran from the scene, so her father hires the Midnight Investigation Agency to clear her name, as she is the police's prime suspect. While investigating the "mystic", Jason discovers the man is a scam artist, bilking people out of their life savings. Each member of the inner circle had reasons to kill him, but Jason needs to figure out who did the deed.

The more Jason questions people close to the deceased, the more it seems that Anne is guilty; yet he and his mother believe the evidence is too perfect and tidy. The relationship between mother and son is quirky and humorous, and it is beautiful to see how close they are to one another, which adds to an entertaining well written crime caper.