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Fatal Undertaking

A Buryin' Barry Mystery
by Mark de Castrique
Fatal Undertaking: A Buryin' Barry Mystery. Poisoned Pen. Oct. 2010. 232p. ISBN 978-1-59058-801-7. $24.95; pap. ISBN 978-1-59058-803-1. $14.95. M
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When the son of Gainesboro's (NC) wealthiest man is murdered in a coffin donated by funeral director Barry Clayton (Final Undertaking) to the Jaycees' Halloween fund-raiser, Barry investigates the crime in his other job as deputy sheriff. Complicating the situation is the arrival of Barry's ex-wife, an unstoppable investigative reporter.
VERDICT De Castrique writes complicated mysteries that lead his sleuth on journeys of self-discovery while unwrapping the motivations behind murder. Here the focus is on how greed warps the human spirit. De Castrique's unassuming but commanding prose style is comparable to James Lee Burke and Margaret Maron. [See Prepub Mystery, LJ 5/1/05.]
Reviewed by Jo Ann Vicarel , Aug 01, 2010
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