Portland Book Review on Dennis Palumbo's Phantom Limb "The best yet .."

 

 

Psychologist Becomes Embroiled in Murder Mystery   Buy On Amazon

By Dennis Palumbo

Poisoned Pen Press, $24.95, 336 pages

Daniel Rinaldi is a psychologist with a private practice in Pittsburgh. At a first appointment with a patient, he is stunned to see that his new client is Lisa Harland, a former Plalyboy model and actress. She is from the Pittsburgh area and returned after her career faltered in Hollywood. Now she is married to a very wealthy local tycoon, and she tells Rinaldi that she plans to kill herself by 7:00 p.m.  It is up to him to persuade her to live and to get to the bottom of why she wants to die. But as she leaves the appointment, she is kidnapped and held for ransom, an event that soon drags Rinaldi into peril.

Phantom Limb is the fourth mystery featuring Daniel Rinaldi, an intrepid hero who frequently finds himself drawn into puzzling and dangerous situations while trying to help his patients. This novel is the best yet, with an engrossing plot and entertaining characters who frequently stumble into trouble. The author has sprinkled the pages with beautiful descriptions that add to the enjoyment of this action adventure.

Reviewed by Fran Byram

Reposted from Portland Book Review 

Portland Book Review - Night Terrors

Night Terrors: A Daniel Rinaldi Mystery

A Provocative Daniel Rinaldi Crime Adventure

By Dennis Palumbo
Poisoned Pen Press, $24.95, 352 pages


A young man confesses to a homicide, but refuses to disclose the location of the victim unless Pittsburgh psychologist Daniel Rinaldi accompanies them. A trauma specialist and police consultant, Rinaldi agreed to assist in finding the victim of the gruesome homicide. At the same time, a series of murders of officials in three states has the local police and the FBI scrambling to protect the people who were responsible for the arrest and conviction of a serial killer who recently died in prison.

Someone claiming to be a fan of the serial killer is murdering those responsible for his conviction and death. As Rinaldi is asked to treat a recently retired FBI profiler who is suffering from night terrors, he becomes ensnared in the complex mystery. Brutal winter adds more danger to the situation.

Dennis Palumbo, a Hollywood screenwriter turned psychotherapist, now in private practice, is the author of the mystery collection; From Crime to Crime. This book is the third Daniel Rinaldi mystery. Palumbo has had his short fiction published in Ellery Queen’s Mystery magazine; The Strand and elsewhere.

This fast-paced novel has it all: suspense, mystery, romance, humor, and non-stop action. The characters are wonderfully enjoyable and the unexpected twists and turns just keep coming right up to the end.

Reviewed by Fran Byram
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