The Patricide: A locked-room mystery

By Kim Ekemar

After a fire, the wealthy landowner Patrice Lafarge is found alone and dead in his bedroom locked from the inside. Inspector Rimbaud reviews the case and counts on the help of his sharp-witted Aunt Emilie. What at first appears to be an accidental death is after the autopsy declared to be a homicide. One of the children at home on Clos Saint-Jacques to celebrate Patrice Lafarge's 75th birthday over a May weekend has to be the killer, but - who did it, how was it done and for what reason? This clever 'whodunit' set in 1935 France introduces a winning pair of sleuths, Inspector Jean-Claude Rimbaud and his savvy aunt Emilie Beauchamp, who probe the death - behind a locked door - of Patrice Lafarge, whose heirs had gathered at his country estate to learn of a change to his will. As in many Golden Age puzzle mysteries, the plot is the key ... Readers who enjoy pitting their wits against that of the author will find themselves satisfied by the surprising solution. - The BookLife Prize in Fiction Veteran author Ekemar puts the plot at a slow simmer, trickling out pertinent information while also maintaining suspense. There's no shortage of motives among the characters; the lives of the siblings are full of personal disarray of one kind or another, making them each prime candidates for committing the crime. This book is an intelligently fashioned mystery, giving its readers just enough information to be enthralled, but not so much that they become bored by predictability. An artfully rendered tale of homicide and family intrigue. - Kirkus Reviews The Patricide by Kim Ekemar is a gripping 'whodunit' mystery set in 1935 France ... The author takes the reader inside the mind of all the characters and exposes the reader to emotions felt by each of the characters. As the story progresses the pace picks up considerably, especially after the death of Patrice. This book certainly has a lot going for it. It's a locked-room mystery of the highest order: a suspicious death, a cleverly constructed plot, intriguing clues and red herrings aplenty to keep the pages turning. The narrative voice is succinct, dry, straightforward, and easy to read. I liked the fact that the reader is given the opportunity to figure out the solution from the clues given - and the solution to the mystery is nothing short of brilliant, let me tell you! The author ups the ante with the most creative solution I have ever read. The plot moves at a steady pace, and the author does a wonderful job of providing just enough detail to paint a clear picture of the characters and settings. The characters are rather interesting, and the who, how and why are not divulged until the last page. It's a very well written and edited book, which I recommend for readers who enjoy classic mysteries and want to immerse themselves in the pleasures of a locked-room murder challenge. This is a competent example in the locked-room mystery genre, and a very entertaining one to boot. - Onlinebookclub Reviews Kim Ekemar's engaging murder mystery, The Patricide, brings a troubled French family together for its patriarch's seventy-fifth birthday celebration. Ekemar's intimate psychological profiles of his characters reveal the inner conflict driving their behaviors and offer possible motives for murder. The text carefully sets the stage and lays out the props for the night of the murder and the events that play out afterward, causing the suspects to squirm as their secrets are brought to light. With The Patricide, Kim Ekemar creates an intriguing, complex mystery with brisk pacing, effective and natural dialogue, and a skillful unraveling of clues that leads to a satisfying conclusion. - Clarion Forward Reviews

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1532880502
• ISBN13: 9781532880506
• Release Date: June 2016
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 200 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.5" x 6.0"