The Miser

by Lesley Eagan

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385176260
• ISBN13: 9780385176262
• Release Date: January 1981
• Publisher: Doubleday Books
• Length: 182 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A RICH, DIRTY OLD MAN--AND A MISER TOO.

Title of book: THE MISER by Lesley Egan I had read this book when originally released back in 1981, coming upon a copy at a recent book sale decided to reread to see if it was as good as I remembered. It was indeed. Barbara 'Elizabeth' Linington (1921-1988) wrote mysteries under several names: Lesley Egan, Dell Shannon, and a few under her own name, Elizabeth Linington. Being a life long resident, other than birth in Illinois, of California her mysteries describe L.A.P.D. procedural crimes. In fact she was one of the very first female authors to write in the male dominated procedural crime arena, receiving many awards through the years for doing so. Writing under the Lesley Egan name she normally had books with either Vic Varallo or Jesse Falkenstein as protagionist, THE MISER continues the Jesse Falkenstein series. As another reviewer relates, the old man or miser of the story is not a very likable character, hoarding money and preying on others to gain more. Yet Jesse reasons that he is somewhat beyond reproach as he doesn't know better. Though that becomes apparent as the novel unfolds, it doesn't help his family or others to like him in death much more than they did in life. Little wonder someone murdered him. Ms. Egan uses a flowing, smooth style to set Jesse Falkenstein before us, allowing us both a view of his professional life as an attorney-at-law, and also his personal life with wife, Nell, and their young son, David Andrew. Even the huge family pet, mastiff dog Athelstane, a big, lovable animal is also drawn true to life. Since Ms. Egan had Siamese cats in her life so to does Jesse Falkenstein with Athelstane helping acquire this one for the family. A beautiful sealpoint cat who goes by the name, Murteza, or lion of God in Arabic (pg. 173). With her easy dialogue and character profiles these slim mysteries are always a quick read and a rewarding one too. If as a devotee of mysteries you have never read a Lesley Egan, or Dell Shannon, or Elizabeth Linington book, you might find a new author who left us many books to add to your reading list. Semper Fi.

Mystery...

Old Vanderveer is an odd client for the famous lawyer-detective Jesse Falkenstein. In a shabby suit and frayed shirt, he looks as if he can hardly afford Jesse's standard fee for drawing up a will, and it seems unlikely that he has much to leave. But when a few weeks later he and his invalid wife are murdered in their seedy bungalow in a run-down corner of Hollywood, Falkenstein is launched on a long and intricate search for the fortune which the old man has stashed away in a score of hiding places.