Kickback
p. m. terrell
Chicago Spectrum Press
324 pages

It is always a pleasure to review a book written by a local author, especially when it is good. p.m.terrell resides in Chesterfield County where she owns a software company. This is her first mystery and it holds great promise for future offerings. "Kickback" is perfectly timed for todays' headlines about Enron's fall. It combines the intrigue of corporate corruption with computer sleuthing. It is not a new theme but Terrell makes it exciting and "hip", yet not bewildering to those of us technically challenged.

Sheila Carpenter, the heroine, is a computer genius just graduated from Vanderbilt. A large corporation hires her to create a new database and that is where the trouble begins. Although Sheila is a young inexperienced girl from the country, she won't buckle under to corporate power and corruption. She hangs tough even when her dotty Aunt Jo, who rants about Yankees, is intimidated and driven from her home. Untangling a maze of old programs, she exposes an incriminating audit trail. Of course, it all leads to murder, threats, and falling in love. Who can she turn to for help? It seems no one is to be trusted. Like all good classic heroes, Sheila reaches deep within herself to find the moral and physical courage that always defeats evil.

If you enjoy Sue Grafton's mysteries, "A is for Alibi" etc., you will like "Kickback". Like Grafton, Terrell tells a fast paced story, even staccato in places. Terrell's heroine, Carpenter, like Grafton's Kinsey Millhone, is smart, tough, and does not shy away from physical action. They can both take a hit and come back swinging. Yet, they have a vulnerability that allows them to seek comfort in male companionship, a characteristic that is not a sign of weakness or dependency. It humanizes and balances the characters. Terrell could have given Carpenter more idiosyncrasies to make her more endearing but I am sure the character will develop in future books. As is the case with so many other ladies of mystery, such as Miss Marple and Jessica Fletcher, Sheila Carpenter is sure to spend her literary life stumbling into one crime after another, a circumstance that is fortunate for mystery readers.

"Kickback" was released this month. The timing couldn't be better. It is the perfect paperback to toss in the suitcase or beach bag as you head out for vacation.

Paula Price is a resident of Powhatan County and owner of Price & Sons Good Old Books at Sycamore Square.