Double, Double, Oil and Trouble by Emma Lathen
Review by Matt B. (BuffaloSavage)
This is Book 17 of the long-running mystery series starring investment banker John Putnam Thatcher. It is set in 1978. He taken far from his Manhattan haunts to Istanbul, Zurich, and London in adventures that involve kidnapping and murder.
In the first half of the book, the familiar series characters are pushed into the background in order to visit the different locations and place the various characters in their various organizations. The action unfolds in a semi-complicated fashion and we are thankful Putnam gives a lengthy reveal. The wheeling and dealing of large oil companies to land drilling contracts is only mildly interesting.
In the end, while this is worth reading for true fans, I don’t think it is the best introduction to the Lathen mysteries. Emma Lathen was the pen-name for two Boston business executives, Mary J. Latsis and Martha Hennissart. Their entertaining series blended series characters from Wall Street and characters in a specific industry. Their novels were solid sellers from 1961 to 1997 when Ms. Latsis passed away.
Tags: Book Recommendations, Book Reviews
