David Daniel, The Marble Kite

David Daniel, The Marble Kite - While PI Alex Rasmussen is trying to win his date a stuffed toy at the carnival, he hears a scream. Dropping the mallet, Alex rushes to the locale of the shriek only to find a small, growing crowd surrounding a dead woman.

The next day local attorney Fred Meecham informs Alex that the carnival owner Pop Sondry hired him to represent the prime suspect in last night's carnival murder Troy Pepper. The lawyer further explains that Pop is convinced that his employee is innocent. Fred hires Alex to make inquiries into Troy, the victim Flora Nunez, and other carnival employees. Alex puts aside his insurance work to conduct a field investigation into the murder of Flora.

THE MARBLE KITE is an entertaining, regional, private investigative tale set in Lowell, MA, starring a delightful protagonist. Alex seems very realistic as he is a bit annoyed that his date was ruined just when he is just getting back into the scene having been divorced, waiting for a reconciliation and finally watching his ex remarry and have someone else's child. The who-done-it is cleverly devised so that the audience wonders why Pop thinks Troy is innocent as the circumstantial evidence points heavily towards him. David Daniel provides a fabulous murder mystery that will send newcomers seeking previous starring roles of Alex (see GOOFY FOOT).

Harriet Klausner