Reviewed By Liz

ISBN 978-0-9799167-0-0

THE MARATHON MURDERS is the fourth Greg McKenzie mystery by Chester Campbell. Greg, a former agent for Air Force’s Office of Special Investigations, and his wife Jill, a pilot who had operated a charter air service, didn’t take to retirement and have opened their own private investigations office. An acquaintance from a previous case brings them a new client. Kelli Kane’s request seems simple – she wants the McKenzie’s to locate a man who called her grandfather about some old company papers that had been found when some restoration was being done on the defunct Marathon Motor Works building. Kelli and her grandfather are hoping that the papers have something to do with her great-grandfather’s disappearance more than 90 years ago. He had been accused of embezzling from Marathon Motors, disappeared before any charges were filed, and his body had been found five years later. The documents had her great-grandfather’s name on them, but the papers and the man who found them are now missing.

It doesn’t take the McKenzies long to find the body of the missing – and murdered - man, but the documents aren’t with him. It seems that Kelli and her grandfather aren’t the only ones interested in getting a look at those papers. Unfortunately, the other parties are prepared to kill to get them.I liked THE MARATHON MURDERS, it is a fast read with pleasant and intelligent characters. Greg and Jill make a good investigative team and Campbell shows them pursuing the case in a realistic and logical fashion. In other words, lots of legwork, phone calls and research. And the fact that Marathon Motor Works actually did exist adds some fun and interest to the story.Favorite character? Probably Jill, who isn’t anyone’s foil.

Did I guess it? Yes. Will I read another? Yes.

Mystery Book Reviews by Liz at http://reviewedbyliz.com ©2007

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