THE RESERVOIR

The author weaves a mystery from the bare bones of an actual murder case in Richmond, Virginia, in the 1890s. Did Lillian Madison commit suicide, or did her cousin, Tommie Cluverius, an ambitious lawyer, kill her to rid himself of an unwanted, pregnant girlfriend? Evidence can be found to support either point of view. Details of time and place are evidence of extensive research. Tom Stechschulte does an admirable job of telling the story from Tommie’s viewpoint. But despite a good narration, the listener remains unengaged. Although the mystery’s setting is vibrant, its characters are neither appealing nor interesting. The character of Tommie, in particular, comes across as scheming and self-absorbed--so obviously hiding something that he’s unable to arouse the listener’s sympathy. N.E.M. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2012]